Cries of disappointment erupted
in Bamako on Wednesday as
Nigeria thrashed Mali, dashing
hopes of a football win to lighten
the mood of a nation entangled
in a bitter war against religious extremists. "Ah, poor Mali!" moaned
supporters glued to small
television screens in a Bamako
marketplace, as the embattled
west African nation fell out of
the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations with a 4-1 loss to Nigeria. "A semifinal victory could have
distracted us a little bit from
this war," said an agitated
Diakari Dia, 21, railing against
"players who don't play and just
fall all over the place and a French coach who doesn't know
what to do." Many in the dim alleys of the
market switched channels at
halftime to watch an American
movie, when Nigeria's Super
Eagles led 3-0. In an animated riverside suburb
the owner of a small bistro said
many supporters got up and left
as it became clear Mali could not
come back from its drubbing. "After the first goal, it was
morose. After the second, one
felt that Mali could still catch up.
With the third goal, half of my
clients got up and left. By the
fourth, only the most faithful remained," said Ibrahim
Tounkara, 52. A slogan painted on the front of
the cafe reads: "One Mali united,
forever." Tounkara said it was painted at
the end of 2012, as radical
Islamists kept firm control over
the vast north of the country
seized in early April, imposing
their brutal form of Islamic law on the population. Not long after, France came to
Mali's aid, and is leading a 27-
day-old war against extremists
who divided the country both
geographically and ethnically.
Reprisal attacks have targeted ethnic Tuareg and Arabs seen as
supporters of the occupiers. "But war has nothing to do with
football," Tounkara said, while
recognising the massive
disappointment of a country
where "football has become a
religion." At the marketplace, law student
Mohamed Diarra had only praise
for well-known captain Seydou
Keita, a former player for FC
Barcelona who currently plays in
China, despite his failure to score a goal. "We adore him, he is a fighter,
he always fights for his country." Artist Boubacar Guitteye, 53,
said he does not like to mix
football and politics but "quite
simply, people would have been
so happy if we won, especially in
the parts of the north that were occupied". "We are used to disappointing
matches. It hurts but it will pass." In the small northern town of
Douentza, which was the
southernmost town held by the
Islamists for much of the 10-
month occupation until being
freed by French troops, all activity ground to a halt during
the match. There is no electricity but small
droning generators spluttered
to life just before the match, as
supporters gathered around
televisions. "We wanted two victories, one
for the Nations Cup and one for
the reconquest of the north.
And for the Nations Cup, really
we have lost our morale, frankly
we were wiped out," said Harouna Dolo, 43.