#111 // Koïta to Konte Mali (U-20) 2 - 2 Argentina (U-20)

The AssistU-20 World Cup

Stoppage time, in the 120th minute of extra time.

U-20 World Cup, round of 16.

And a team you don’t often hear about. Equalizing with a trick.

 

 

 

Final, final moment of the game. A free kick twenty yards outside the box. Argentina’s defense in a drowsy semi-arranged setup, waiting for this last bit of action—and then it came.

The ref’s whistle blew.

 

Koïta knocks a clever, immediate pass forward to Konte.

 

And he puts it in.

 

Ten minutes later, it was Mali, of all teams, winning on penalties 5-4.

 

 

 

Last time I heard about Mali was at a concert in New York.

The coolest guitarist I’ve seen in years. From the Saharan desert:

 

 

 

Or that other time, at that other concert.

Amadou & Mariam. The blind couple from the more equatorial part of Mali.

 

 

 

 

 

Now the Malians are beating Argentina?

 

 

 

It could just be that Africa has a new upstart team.

And it could just be—that their manager is a West Ham follower?