Could Mali's FIFA Protest Against Black Stars Lead to a Replay? Analysis

• Ghana defeated Mali 1-0 at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 8, 2025, with Alexander Djiku scoring the only goal amid protests from Mali
• Malian officials, unhappy with refereeing decisions, are preparing to lodge a formal complaint with FIFA, alleging bias in the officiating team
• Delali Frank Awutey, Nations FC’s media officer, stated that while Mali is within its rights to protest, its appeal lacks strong grounds

On September 8, 2025, the Black Stars played against Mali, which ended in a 1- 0 victory for the Ghanaian national team at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The goal, which was scored by Ghana’s centre back, Alexander Djiku, has become the subject of furious protests from the Malian football federation.

They believe the Black Stars defenders tampered with the Malian Goalkeeper, Djigui Diarra. The opposing team's technical bench and players protested the goal immediately, but they were nonetheless unsuccessful in their appeals.

Read also

Mali FA to challenge Ghana's 1-0 win, but complaint faces likely rejection

Consequently, the Mali FA is reportedly planning to file a formal complaint with FIFA against the refereeing, believing the officiating was biased towards them.

The match ended in a 1-0 win for Ghana, and the Malian officials, who were optimistic before kick-off, were visibly displeased about key decisions made during the game.

The officiating team who oversaw the match included: Assistant referees Phatsoane Souru of Lesotho and Cledwin Baloyi, who hails from South Africa, and Naftal Mweshitsama Negongo from Namibia, who was the fourth official.

Delali Awutey analyses Mali’s protest and potential outcome

YEN.com.gh, in an exclusive interview with Nations FC’s media officer, Delali Frank Awutey, who previously worked with Dreams FC and served on the Ghana FA President’s communications team, Kurt Okraku, offered his insights on the ongoing talks about Mali's protest.

Delali Frank Awutey, talking from his experience in football administration, was concrete in his belief that the protest may not yield the desired outcome.

According to Delali, the appeal seriously lacks a strong foundation needed to overturn such decisions, most especially when referee judgment is involved.

Read also

Mali FA set to file official protest with FIFA after Ghana defeat

He said:

"It’s within their rights to protest. Every team has the opportunity to seek redress, provided they go through the appropriate channels. In this case, they had a 24-hour window to lodge their complaint, and they have exercised that right. However, the substance of their protest raises questions."

"If you analyse what they are protesting, I don’t think it carries much weight. Referee decisions are one of the most complex areas in football. Challenging them requires a solid body of evidence, patterns that clearly point to consistent bias or error. FIFA and CAF rarely overturn referee calls unless there’s undeniable proof of wrongdoing or misconduct. It’s simply not something that happens frequently."

He continued:

"Once a match concludes, protesting a result based on a referee’s actions becomes even more difficult. The general belief is that referees are human and operate based on their discretion. It's their job to assess situations in real time, and unless there's a major oversight or clear-cut foul, it’s hard to prove fault. In the situation being contested, both players appeared to be holding each other. It was a physical duel, a common scene in football, where Djiku outmuscled the defender. From the footage, you can see that Djiku was falling but still managed to get a foot on the ball. So while Mali has every right to voice their concerns, I honestly don’t think this will change the outcome."

Read also

Ghana vs. Mali World Cup qualifier: Otto Addo's possible starting line-up

Mali protests Ghana win as FIFA decision looms

Recently, YEN.com.gh reported that Alexander Djiku once again proved his big-game temperament by scoring the decisive header from a Jordan Ayew corner in the 2026 World Cup qualifier against Mali.

The manner in which the goal was scored is what the Mali football federation is contesting, arguing their player was impeded in the build-up

FIFA’s Disciplinary Code and competition regulations clarify routine referee decisions, including fouls and goals

Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh