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France down Mali to reach Under-17 World Cup final
France will try to claim a second championship after their only win in 2001 when they face Germany in the tournament decider on Saturday at Manahan Stadium in Surakarta, Central Java.
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Jubilation: French players celebrate a goal from Ismael Bouneb (second left) during the 2023 Under-17 World Cup semifinal soccer match against Mali at Manahan Stadium in Surakarta, Central Java, on Nov. 28, 2023. France won the match 2-1. (Antara/Akbar Nugroho Gumay)
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rance qualified for the Under-17 World Cup final in at Manahan Stadium in Surakarta, Central Java on Tuesday after a 2-1 win against a spirited Mali side.
They will try to claim a second championship after their only win in 2001 when they face Germany in the tournament decider on Saturday in Surakarta.
Germany downed Argentina in the other semi-final 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw.
But France had to come back from a goal down after Mali took the lead in first-half injury time through captain Ibrahim Diarra.
It was the first goal conceded in the tournament by the young players of coach Jean-Luc Vannuchi.
They drew level in the 56th minute through a header from Troyes' Yvann Titi, before he was withdrawn minutes later through injury.
That came after Mali were reduced to 10 men a minute earlier when Souleymane Sanogo was sent off for a foul on defender Aymen Sadi.
With Mali a man down, Valenciennes' Ismail Bouneb scored the decisive goal with a free-kick in the 69th minute.
He had sent France into the semi-finals after scoring the winner against Uzbekistan in their quarter-final match.
France goalkeeper Paul Argney of Le Havre secured the win by pushing a free-kick onto the bar in the 89th minute.
Germany have never won the Under-17 World Cup but beat France in the European Championship final in June on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
