EAGLES READY FOR TAKE-OFF AT LAST
For years, Mali has been producing talent that has set European football alight. Stars such as Mahamadou Diarra, Seydou Keita, Mohamed Sissoko or Frederic Kanoute are more than capable of taking their country to its first FIFA World Cup™.
Mali have always lived in the shadow of the other big African teams. While Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and more recently Senegal, Cote d’lvoire and Togo have all shone, the Eagles — as they are nicknamed — have always had problems getting off the ground. However, there is now burgeoning hope in this football-mad country with a population of 11.5 million thanks to a blend of players who grew up in Mali, such as Mahamadou Diarra (Real Madrid) and Seydou Keita (Sevilla), and French-born footballers who declared for the country where their parents were born, such as Frederic Kanoute (Sevilla), Mohamed Sissoko (Liverpool) and Djimi Traore (Portsmouth).
The whole of Mali is dreaming of a World Cup debut in South Africa in 2010, a place and a year that are ripe with symbolism for this West African nation. For the first time, the FIFA World Cup™’ will be staged in an African country, which provides an extra incentive for teams from that continent to qualify for the tournament. Furthermore, 2010 will be a particularly special year for Mali, which will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of both its independence and the creation of a football association in the former French colony.
In their 47-year history, the Eagles have yet to soar to great heights. They have never qualified for the World Cup and have only taken part in the African Cup of Nations (ACN) finals on four occasions, in 1972, 1994, 2002 and 2004, although they have always performed well, reaching the final in one tournament and the semi-finals in the other three.

ALL THE RESULTS AT A GLANCE

Group A
06.06. Miami Costa Rica v. Canada 1-2
06.06. Miami Guadeloupe v. Haiti 1-1
09.06. Miami Canada v. Guadeloupe 1-2
09.06. Miami Haiti v. Costa Rica 1-1
11.06. Miami Costa Rica v. Guadeloupe 1-0
11.06. Miami Haiti v. Canada 0-2

1.Canada 3 2 0 15-3 6
2.Costa Rica 3 1 1 13-3 4
3. Guadeloupe 3 1 1 13-3 4
4. Haiti 3 0 2 12-4 2

Group B
07.06. Los Angeles/Carson USA v. Guatemala 1-0
07.06. Los Angeles/Carson El Salvador v. Trinidad and Tobago 2-1
09.06. Los Angeles/Carson Guatemala v El Salvador 1-0
09.06. Los Angeles/Carson Trinidad and Tobago v. USA 0-2
12.06. Boston/Foxboro USA v. El Salvador 4-0
12.06. Boston/Foxboro Trinidad and Tobago v. Guatemala 1-1

1. USA 3 3 0 0 7-0 9
2. Guatemala 3 1 1 1 2-2 4
3. El Salvador 3 1 0 2 2-6 3
4. Trinidad and Tobago 3 0 1 2 2-5 1

Group C
08.06. New York/New Jersey Panama v. Honduras
08.06. New York/New Jersey Mexico v. Cuba
10.06. New York/New Jersey Honduras v. Mexico
10.06. New York/New Jersey Panama v. Cuba
13.06. Houston Cuba v. Honduras
13.06. Houston Mexico v. Panama

1. Honduras 3 2 0 1 9-4 6
2. Mexico 3 2 0 1 4-3 6
3. Panama 3 1 1 1 5-5 4
4. Cuba 3 0 1 2 3-9 1

Quarter-finals
16.06. Boston/Foxboro Canada v. Guatemala 3-0
16.06. Boston/Foxboro USA v. Panama 2-1
17.06. Houston Mexico v. Costa Rica 1-0
17.06. Houston Honduras v. Guadeloupe 1-2

Semi-finals
21.06. Chicago Canada v. USA 1-2
21.06. Chicago Mexico v. Guadeloupe 1-0

Final
24.06. Chicago USA v. Mexico 2-1

42-YEAR-OLD ANGLOMA
The USA and Mexico took different paths to the final. The Americans had a relatively easy time of it in Group B, blanking Guatemala 1 -0, Trinidad and Tobago 2-0 and El Salvador 4-0. The Mexicans struggled early on in Group C. They edged out Cuba 2-1 and were surprised by a 2-1 defeat to Honduras. They faced possible elimination if they lost their final group match to Panama, but they prevailed 1-0.
The surprise team of the tournament was Guadeloupe (population 472,000), which is not an official FIFA association, but still an associate member of CONCACAF. Guadeloupe was not given much of a chance to get out of Group A, let alone become a force en route to the semi-finals.
But behind thestellar play ofgoalkeeper Franck Grandel, voted goalkeeper of the tournament, the Caribbean side drew 1-1 with Haiti, stunned Canada 2-1, and lost to Costa Rica 1 -0. Guadeloupe were good enough to reach the quarter-finals, where the team excelled against favoured Honduras, winning 2-1 with goals from Jocelyn Angloma and Richard Socrier. Angloma? Yes, the same Angloma who played 37 times for France, who won the UEFA Champions League in 1993 with Olympique Marseille, who also played for top clubs like Inter Milan (UEFA Cup winners in 1997) and Valencia (UEFA Champions League runners-up in 2000 and 2001), and who was born 42 years ago in Abymes, Guadeloupe.
That set up a semi-final confrontation with Mexico, who had crept past Costa Rica 1-0. The Americans edged past Panama 2-1 to set up a semi-final against border rivals Canada, 3-0 winners over Guatemala.
The semi-finals certainly had their share of controversy and drama. Guadeloupe managed to stave off the Mexicans until a second-half goal produced a 1-0 victory. The Americans managed to inch past Canada 2-1, although the Canadians claimed that Atiba Hutchinson’s final-minute goal should have been upheld and not ruled offside. Neither of the finalists had time to catch their collective breaths after the championship match’s final whistle in Chicago as both teams immediately jetted off to Venezuela for the Copa America.
The USA had 15 players from the Major League Soccer (MLS) in their Copa squad, replacing such regulars and stars as Donovan, Howard and DaMarcus Beasley, as a new group of players were trying to make a name for themselves at international level. The Mexicans flew to South America amid a report that there was a split in the team and talk about Sanchez’s job security.
“As a player, the same thing happened to me. I needed time to triumph in Europe and now it’s the same, be patient,” said coach Sanchez. “If you have put up with others who aren’t Mexican and who, in addition, have treated you badly, then I deserve a bit more.” Sanchez was referring to his predecessor, Argentine Ricardo La Volpe. His team might have bought Sanchez more time, winning its Copa America opener over a weakened Brazil team 2-0.
Given the huge crowds that show up for USA v. Mexico matches in the United States, there is a good chance that there will be an international friendly or two in the coming year. For now, though, the Americans own the trophy and the CONCACAF bragging rights.