A battle of contrasting football styles will be on view when classical Spain cross swords with a robust Mali in the semi-finals of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup, in Navi Mumbai, on Wednesday.
Hadji Drame (15th minute) and Djemoussa Traore (61st) scored for Mali, while Kudus Mohammed (70th) scored a consolation goal for Ghana.
Mali are the runners-up side in the last edition of the U-17 World Cup in 2015 and this time they would be aiming to move one step ahead by clinching the title
Steve Cooper's team remained calm in front of a 53,000-strong crowd as substitute Nya Kirby sealed the issue after their goalkeeper Curtis Anderson denied Hinata Kida.
Their bid for a fourth title halted by England in the semi-finals, Brazil will seek a consolation victory when they take on Mali in the third-place play-off of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Kolkata on Saturday.
Paraguay continued to shine and recorded their third win on the trot when they thrashed a struggling Turkey 3-1 in a Group B match of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Navi Mumbai.
Ghana outclassed Colombia 1-0, while New Zealand held Turkey to a 1-1 draw in the opening matches of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup on Friday.
United States of America secured their passage into the round of 16 riding on substitute Ayo Akinola's 75-minute strike for a 1-0 victory over Ghana in an enthralling Group A game of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in New Delhi.
