Mali earned an important 3-0 away win over Comoros on Thursday night in Matchday 5 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, giving new life to their hopes of reaching the tournament and making Group I even more competitive.
The victory came thanks to goals from Nene Dorgeles and Kamory Doumbia, with the match played in the Moroccan city of Berkane. This result moves Mali up to fourth place with eight points, just two points behind leaders Madagascar.
For Comoros, who were leading the group before kickoff, the defeat is a big setback. They now drop to third place with nine points.
Mali started strong and took control early in the game. In the 20th minute, Dorgeles opened the scoring after receiving a smart pass from team captain Yves Bissouma and calmly finishing past goalkeeper Yannick Pandor.
Comoros tried to answer back with a long-range free kick from Faïz Selemani, but Malian goalkeeper Djigui Diarra was alert and made a safe catch.
In the second half, Mali’s energy and confidence grew. Just ten minutes after the break, El Bilal Touré delivered a perfect cross into the box, and Kamory Doumbia was there to tap it into an open net, making it 2-0.
Only eight minutes later, Doumbia found the net again. This time, it was Bissouma who set him up with a well-placed pass, and Doumbia coolly scored his second of the night to secure the win.
After that, Comoros struggled to create any real chances, while Mali stayed solid in defense and managed the game well until the final whistle.
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This loss is a huge disappointment for Comoros, as they risk falling further behind in the group standings.
For Mali, the win is a big boost and keeps their World Cup dreams alive with three more matches still to play. Madagascar remain on top with 10 points, but Ghana also have a chance to take the lead if they beat Chad in their upcoming fixture.
Mali will now focus on their next game with high spirits, knowing they are right back in the fight to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.