Mali recorded an impressive 4-1 victory over Mauritania in their first 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) Group E match at the Suez Stadium in Egypt on Monday night.

The Lions of Chinguetti, who were making their debut in the finals, were able to contain the Eagles in the opening stages of the encounter.

Mali were forced to try their luck from range as the Mauritania defence looked solid and impenetrable.

However, the Eagles upped the tempo after the half-hour mark and they managed to break the deadlock through Abdoulaye Diaby.

#TotalAFCON2019 – RESULT:???? 4-1 ????Mali have started their AFCON campaign off to a flyer with a great victory over Mauritania.pic.twitter.com/I96pmsZKPD— SuperSport ???? (@SuperSportTV) June 24, 2019

The Sporting Lisbon forward scored with a left-footed shot from outside the box to make it 1-0 to Mali in the 37th minute.

The momentum was with the Eagles and they were awarded a penalty after Lassana Coulibaly drew a foul in the box on the stroke of halftime.

Moussa Marega then stepped up and beat Souleymane from the spot-kick to make it 2-0 to Mali heading into the halftime break.

The Eagles continued their dominance after the restart and in the 55th minute they extended their lead through Adama Traore II.

The 23-year-old midfielder netted with a left-footed shot from the centre of the box to make it 3-0 to Mali, with Diadie Samassekou grabbing an assist.

The Lions of Chinguetti then fought back and they were awarded a penalty which was conceded by Mamadou Fofana in the 71st minute.

Moctar Sidi El Hacen then made no mistake from the spot-kick as he beat Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra from the spot-kick to make it 3-1 for Mauritania.

However, Mali responded with a goal when second-half substitute Adama Traore I scored with a well-taken shot to make it 4-1 with 17 minutes left on the clock.

Mauritania pushed for another goal in the latter stages of the encounter, but Mali held on to their three-goal lead and they emerged 4-1 winners on the night.

Mali (2) 4 (Diaby 37′, Marega 45′, Adama Traore II 55, Adama Traore I 73′)

Mauritania (0) 1 (El Hacen 72′)

Mali: Djigui Diarra, Wague, H. Traore, Kone, Fofana, Samassekou, Coulibaly, Djenepo (Doumbia 61′), Adama Traore II (Adama Traore I 61′), Marega, Diaby (Haidara 87′).

Mauritania: Souleymane, Abou Demba (Diaw 53′), Abeid, Abdoul Ba, N’Diaye, Adama Ba, Camara (Gaye 82′), Coulibaly (Khalil 46′), El Hacen, Dellahi, Diakie.

Egypt coach Javier Aguirre admitted there is room for improvement as the Africa Cup of Nations hosts and title favourites head into their second group game against the Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday.

Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan’s goal earned Egypt a 1-0 victory over Zimbabwe in the tournament’s curtain-raiser and a second straight win in Group A would leave the Pharaohs in pole position to finish top of their group.

“Egypt can play better. For sure in the next game without the pressure of the first game we must play much better,” Aguirre told reporters at Tuesday’s pre-match news conference in Cairo.

“DR Congo were really unlucky against Uganda in my opinion. They deserved more than to lose 2-0. I hope both teams play better for the spectators, both teams have more to give to the fans.”

Star forward Mohamed Salah had a number of chances in the opening game but was unable to find the target, and Aguirre hit back at suggestions the Liverpool player was used in a deeper position than with his club.

“You say Salah plays in midfield? He received one ball in 90 minutes in our half. He defends more at Liverpool than here. Salah had eight shots on goal, as a striker, as a right winger in the attack.”

“I think Salah is an important player for the team of course, just as with (Cedric) Bakambu for DRC, but we still have other players,” he added. “We are not depending on one single player in the Egypt team but on the other players as well.”

Aguirre said the tournament’s new June/July time slot would give some of those lesser known players the chance to showcase their talent, including Friday’s match-winner Trezeguet who spent the past season with Kasimpasa in Turkey.

“This Africa Cup there are 24 teams and it’s in summer so many, many people from Europe are here looking for new players, new faces,” said Aguirre, a former CONCACAF Gold Cup winner with his native Mexico.

“Of course Trezeguet is one of these new faces for sure. It’s a good opportunity for Trezeguet to show the world he can play at any level. He had a great season in Turkey, but not just Trezeguet. I think we have many players who can play in any part of the world.”

Democratic Republic of Congo captain Youssouf Mulumbu has urged his team to move on from their surprise opening defeat by Uganda at the Africa Cup of Nations ahead of Wednesday’s clash with Egypt.

The experienced Celtic midfielder missed Saturday’s 2-0 loss – Uganda’s first tournament win since 1978 – through injury and knows it will only get tougher for the twice former champions against the host nation.

“After a defeat like that, a good slap because we didn’t expect to lose against Uganda,let’s see how we will react against Egypt in front of their own crowd,” said Mulumbu, who was part of the side that finished third in 2015.

“Let’s see how we can react and show that we are men. We want to qualify for the next round.”

“It was a bit tough for me to miss the first match but I’ve started running again and the coach will decide whether I play,” added Mulumbu, who spent the second half of the 2018-19 season on loan at Kilmarnock.

“I feel the desire, the discipline is there in the team. We slipped up in the first game but we’re going the right way to make up for it.”

With four third-placed finishers set to make the last 16, DR Congo coach Florent Ibenge was asked if his side would set out to frustrate Egypt and leave their fate resting on their final Group A game against Zimbabwe.

“Each game you must try and get the best result and we’ll stick to that philosophy,” said Ibenge, who juggles his national team role with duties at leading Kinshasa team V Club.

“We’re playing Egypt and if we don’t win we’ll try to get a draw.”

Sadio Mane would be prepared to swap his Champions League success with Liverpool for an Africa Cup of Nations medal with Senegal, he said as he readied for his first game at the tournament in Egypt.

“To win for my country, which has never won a Cup of Nations, would be magnificent. I am even ready to trade in my Champions League success to win the Africa Cup of Nations,” Mane told France Football in an interview published on Tuesday.

“The return to Dakar (with the trophy) would be extraordinary. That is my craziest dream,” he said.

Mane, who helped Liverpool beat Tottenham Hotspur on June 1 in the Champions League final in Madrid, missed Senegal’s opening game at this year’s Cup of Nations as he was suspended because of an accumulation of cautions in the qualifiers.

Senegal beat Tanzania 2-0 in Cairo on Sunday to make a winning start to their Group C campaign. They next take on Algeria on Thursday, when Mane is expected to return to the team.

He is competing in his third finals, having seen Senegal eliminated in the first round in 2015 and then having to be dragged off the field two years ago when he collapsed in a heap after his penalty in a quarterfinal shootout against Cameroon was saved.

“It’s up to us to achieve something grand,” said Mane of their latest quest.

“Of course we are among the favourites, we cannot hide from that. But this status is not enough to ensure that we go through to the end.”

Senegal’s best Nations Cup performance was in 2002 when the team reached the final in Mali but lost to Cameroon on penalties after a goalless draw.

Game statistics.

FT: Mali 4-1 Mauritania.

#AzamUTV #AFCON # AFCON2019 # Egypt2019 #Sports # TotalAFCON2019 #Mali #Mauritania #MLIMTN

⚽️ VIDEO 🇹🇳TUN 1⃣ Vs 1⃣ ANG🇦🇴 🎥

Tonight’s goals and highlights* !! Click to watch the video 📹 :

http://v.duta.us/twY7PAAA

⚽ 🇲🇱MLI vs MTN🇲🇷

MLI🇲🇱
16 Djigui Diarra
15 Mamadou Fofana
13 Molla Wague
3 Youssouf Kone
2 Hamari Traore
21 Adama Traoré
11 Lassana Coulibaly
8 Diadie Samassekou
9 Moussa Marega
19 Moussa Djenepo
23 Abdoulay Diaby

MTN🇲🇷
1 Souleymane Diallo
5 Abdoul Ba
15 Bakary N´Diaye
3 Aly Abeid
4 Harouna Abou Demba
14 Mohamed Yali Dellahi
6 Khassa Camara
19 Ibrahima Coulibaly
18 Hacen
10 Adama Ba
7 Ismael Diakite