*Black Stars’ – Ghana’s national football team players jog during a training session on October 9, 2013 in Accra. Ghana will play Egypt on October 15 in a qualification match for the 2014 Football World Cup. AFP PHOTO
Ghana face plucky Mali in an all-West African last 16 clash at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Wellington today.
It will be the third meeting between the two sides this year after both sides won one each at the 2015 CAF African U-20 Championship.
Les Aiglons won 1-0 during the Group stage and the Black Satellites avenged that defeat with a 3-1 scoreline in the third-placed play-off.
But Mali were without goalkeeper Djigui Diarra and star midfielder Adama Traore who plays for Ligue 1 side Lille.
Ghana also had goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Cagliari midfielder Godfred Donsah and defender Emmanuel Ntim absent.
Sellas Tetteh and his boys finished Group B leaders ahead of Austria, Panama and Argentina while Mali advanced as one of the best third-placed teams.
They were behind Group D winners Serbia and Uruguay.
Ghana are seeking to reach the last four for the second successive time but Mali will not be pushovers.
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