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AFCON wrap: Diaby’s sensational rip highlights trio of matches

Mali v Mauritania  - 2019 African Cup of Nations

Abdoulaye Diaby of Mali scoring to 1-0 during the 2019 African Cup of Nations match between Mali and Mauritania at the Suez Army stadium in Suez, Egypt on June 24,2019. (Photo by Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

NurPhoto via Getty Images

The Africa Cup of Nations said hello to six more competitors on Monday, with a thrilling goal amongst the eight tallied across the competitions in Egypt.

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Mali 4-1 Mauritania

Two different men named Adama Traore -- neither of them the Wolves winger -- joined Moussa Marega on the score sheet but it’s difficult to describe the class and small margins that defined the tournament’s goal of the day.

Sporting Lisbon’s Abdoulay Diaby somehow got this shot off through two defenders and into the upper reaches of the goal to open the scoring in the three-goal win for Mali, which is having some summer when you take into account the U-20 World Cup.

Ivory Coast 1-0 South Africa

There were only 13 total attempts in the game, and Aston Villa’s Jonathan Kodija scored the lone goal of a tournament opening win for Les Elephants.

Tunisia 1-1 Angola

A draw was probably fair, as Youssef Msakni’s first half penalty was met by Djalma Campos’ late goal to split the spoils in Group E.

Follow @NicholasMendola