In a white-hot Borg El Arab Arena in Alexandria, Mali put in a masterful performance to beat Egypt 86-77.
Buoyed by their impressive outside shooting from the outset, the Malians took control of the game with a solid first quarter (26-22) before extending their lead in a second period that proved suffocating for the Egyptian defense (20-12).
With a 12-point lead at halftime, the Eagles were able to handle the pressure from the Pharaohs, who, despite a burst of pride in the final minutes, were never able to close the gap against their opponents’ tactical discipline.
The battle for rebounds also went in Mali’s favor, as did ball management, limiting their turnovers during key moments in the third quarter (won 23-16).
The man of the match for Mali was power forward Ibrahima Djambo, whose impact on both sides of the court was decisive.
Other key contributors to the score included Fousseyni Dramé and point guard Mahamadou Kanté, who punished the hosts’ defensive lapses.
On the Egyptian side, the efforts of Ehab Amin and Anas Mahmoud were not enough to prevent this opening defeat at home.
This victory puts Mali in an ideal position in Group D ahead of their next matches scheduled for this weekend in Alexandria.