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Mali's Hamari Traore praised his team's tactical approach and possession-focused game plan that led to their 2-0 friendly victory over Nigeria.
Malian defender Hamari Traore has hailed his country's youthful side after they recorded an impressive first win over Nigeria in 49 years in March.
Pulse Sports Nigeria reports that the Eagles claimed a famous 2-0 friendly victory over Nigeria's more established Super Eagles squad during the recent international break in Morocco.
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Traore on Nigeria Super Eagles win
The Real Sociedad star was full of praise for both Mali's game plan and application in securing their first win over Nigeria in 18 years, even if he acknowledged the Super Eagles were missing some key players.
"It's a friendly game, Nigeria didn't have two or three first-teamers from the AFCON 23, but we (Mali) are a young team which played against a great Nigerian team," Traore told Pulse Sports Nigeria during an interview.
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"I think we won 2-0, it was a good match. It was an excellent game, they are one of the great African teams."
Tactical Discipline Key for Mali
The 32-year-old revealed how Mali stuck to their tactical instructions to overcome the typically free-flowing Super Eagles.
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"Nigeria played 4-3-3 tactically, we worked on what the coach put in place," Traore explained. "We tried to keep hold of the ball, maximize possession. So, each time we wanted to penetrate with high press and cause damage."
While Traore missed a chance to get on the scoresheet himself, he was ultimately pleased with Mali's impressive all-round performance against such esteemed opposition.
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"I could have scored but I thought it was a really good friendly match," he added.
Brotherhood with Sadiq
One familiar face in the opposition ranks was Traore's club teammate at Real Sociedad, Umar Sadiq, although the Nigerian striker didn't feature.
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"I saw my brother Sadiq, we had a chat, it's a shame he didn't play but it was a good match," Traore said of their reunion.
"I hope both Mali and Nigeria will continue to make progress and have success."
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The win was an undoubted confidence booster for the up-and-coming Malian squad ahead of their 2025 African Cup of Nations and 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
As for Nigeria, the defeat acted as a reality check for interim boss Finidi George, who has now been confirmed as the permanent manager and will have to quickly find solutions before his first task, the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against South Africa later this year.
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