Mali 2-1 Ghana, FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, As it happened!

Full-time: Mali 2-1 Ghana

The African champions become the first team to reach the FIFA U17 World Cup semis and it didn't come easy under the torrential rain in Guwahati, However, they kept things tight at the back and scored their goals in the right moments to knock Ghana out.

That's all from us here. Stay tuned as we'll bring more live updates of the England vs USA match in a bit. You can follow the England-USA match here.

90+5' We are into added time of added time as Ghana have only 10 men on the pitch after Mensah's injury. Mali, however, have the ball deep inside the Ghana half and are lining up a freekick. Camara with the take and he finds Danlad. That is that, and the referee blows the full-time whistle.

Gideon Mensah's evening ends in an unfortunate manner as he is stretchered off after suffering a knock in the head. We are deep into stoppage time as hope is running out for Ghana.

90+1' 4 minutes of stoppage time announced!

89' Mali on the attack again as Camara's cross from the right is somehow cleared away by Ghana for a corner. The set-piece, taken short by Mali, is a wasted chance to keep possession of the ball.

88' Mali will not mind one bit spending time on the ball inside the Mali half. Doucoure with another effort here but his left-footed shot is over the bar.

87' Mali with a freekick inside Ghana's half and they take a potshot at goal instead of biding their time. The match has been played in the right spirit by these two African heavyweights despite the conditions.

84' The ball holding up on this paddy field of a pitch has been Ghana's biggest scourge so far in this game. With all the buildup and penetration, the pass held up by the heavy pitch is proving to be another point of frustration for the Ghanaians.

82' Ghana are looking to play combinations in front of the Mali area but the soggy conditions aren't helping them.

80' Hadji Drame's time on the pitch is up as the goalscorer is replaced by Seme Camara, who is expected to play a much more defensive role in a bid to preserve Mali's one-goal lead.

77' Doucoure with an effort from range but hits it just over Danlad's goal. The newly introduced forward already looks in the mood, having replaced the impressive Salam Jiddou.

Only 3,706 people have turned up to watch this first quarterfinal in Guwahati but those who have come have done so braving the weather.

15 minutes to go here at the IGA Stadium in Guwahati where relentless rain has somewhat spoiled the African party. The scoreline, however, suggests anything but.

74' Mali's captain Camara has been booked for a rash tackle and just like Yakubu of Ghana, he'll miss the semifinal clash if his team qualifies.

73' Ghana have their tail up now after the penalty but they risk leaving gaping holes behind.

70' GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL GHANA!

Mohammed pulls one back from the spot as Ghana make it 2-1 with 20 minutes to go. Koita nearly saved it but it is Ghana who find the net this time.

69' PENALTY GHANA!

Konate takes down Ibrahim Sadiku inside the box after a shoulder challenge and Ghana have a respite, at long last.

68' Camara with a shot from outside the box which Danlad only manages to parry and Drame on the follow-up effort from an acute angle drives the ball into the side netting from point blank range. That was the chance to put the game to bed for Mali.

66' Ghana are in desperate territory now as Mali bide their time in these treacherous conditions. Despite their 2-goal lead, it is Mali who still look the most likely to score next.

63' Ghana with a chance to restore some semblance of respect but Iddriss' freekick from the edge of the box blazes over the bar.

62' GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLL MALI!

Djemoussa, the flying left-back, doubles Mali's advantage after some horrific goalkeeping by Danlad Ibrahim. The Ghana number 1 mistimed his run initially and then lost the wits to deal with Djemoussa's looping effort which went in off the Ghana 'keeper. Mali are surely out of sight now.

60' Some good interplay by Ghana on the edge of the Mali box but right when Mohammed was lining up a shot, his touch took the ball away and Mali clear the ball away for a corner, which is wasted.

58' Silly fouls, cheap freekicks and an inability to break past the Mali defence have been the issues for Ghana so far. Mali are happy to play the ball in midfield where the pitch is at its absolute worst.

54' It all depends on Toku, Sulley and Ayiah now for Ghana to get something out of the blue. The wretched pitch conditions have meant there have been far too many long, direct balls which have been dealt with easily by the towering Malian defenders.

52' The IGA pitch looks unplayable for a World Cup quarterfinal. The ball can barely be passed through the floor which is a challenge for both teams here in the pouring Guwahati rain.

51' Drame's quick feet earns Mali a FK deep inside the Ghana half. This is an opportunity for the Malians to double their advantage but Djemoussa's header is straight back in the direction whence the ball came.

48' Diaby fouls Ayiah on the edge of the Mali box as Ghana push forward early in the 2nd half. Can Sulley convert this chance? Unfortunately, his shot is straight at the wall and a few deflections prove kind to Mali and Ghana's threat on that move subsides. The Black Starlets are in with a plan but can they score the goal?

47' Abdul Yusif with a shot from range that is hit with power and venom and Koita only manages to parry it. Shoot on sight policy for Ghana at the start of the 2nd half as they try to unsettle Mali early.

46' Mali get us underway in the 2nd half. No changes made by either team at half time.

Here are a few 1st half stats:

Shots: Mali 10-4 Ghana
Shots on target: Mali 1-1 Ghana
Possession: Mali 53-47 Ghana

Half-time: Mali 1-0 Ghana

Drame's early goal calmed Malian nerves and unsettled Ghana before the Black Starlets mounted what could be called a mini-revival as the half progressed. While Mali completely dominated the first 30 minutes, they allowed Ghana to come back in the last 15 minutes of the half although the team in the lead look most likely to score the next goal. It's half-time here at a wet IGA Stadium in Guwahati. Stay tuned as the 2nd half starts in 15 minutes.

45+1' Drame with the final effort of the half and like his earlier shots, this one too goes off target. Mali hold a narrow 1-0 lead as the referee blows the HT whistle.

45+1' 1 minute of stoppage time added.

44' Mali have lost their edge somewhat as we close down on the half-time whistle. Ghana are still confounded by that disallowed goal but can they come up with more of the same stuff?

40' Ghana score their equaliser but the referee rules it out. Sulley, the pseudo-scorer, can't believe and neither does the entire Ghana contingent. Apparently, Mohammed fouled Kane in the buildup to the goal and Sulley's joy has been cut short. That was completely needless from Mohammed there.

36' What a miss from Konate!

Mali had the perfect chance to double their lead but Konate's free header from right in front of goal misses the target. Mali have handed Ghana a reprieve here, can Ghana take full advantage of it?

35' Ghana's Najeeb Yakubu earns a booking for a wild lunge and will miss the next match as a result.

35' Possession stats: Mali 54%-46% Ghana

33' Camara with a brilliant, mazy run into the Ghana box but the Mali captain loses his cool when he needed it the most, gifting the ball back to Danlad Ibrahim as Mali rue another missed chance.

32' Ghana have been ill-disciplined as well, letting quite a few cheap freekicks away. Another one for Mali this time and Camara tries to be too clever only to find Traore in an offside position.

30' Ghana have come back pretty well considering Mali's early onslaught. But they don't really look like scoring anytime soon here as Mali look the more likely to score the game's second goal with their incision in attack. Ghana need to score before the break, or at least not concede the second goal.

28' They can't as Iddriss' delivery is dealt with easily by the big frame of Haidara. Mali spring forward on the counter from the transition but Drame's final shot was well-blocked by the Ghana defence. The Mali no 7 should've chosen to pass it sideways instead of trying it himself.

26' Ghana earn a freekick close to the byeline as Diaby fouls Sulley. Can the Starlets make it count?

22' Slack play from the Ghanaians here as Mohammed upends Camara and gifts Mali a freekick in a dangerous, central position. Jiddou with the FK this time and the trickster shoots the ball wide of the target.

21' Djemoussa Traore with another penetrating run deep inside the Ghana box but his cutback on that occasion is deflected behind for a corner. Ghana are barely surviving the onslaught here and it's only 1-0.

20' Ayiah has been left knackered after a few early knocks. The Ghana captain is now fouled by his Mali counterpart Camara as Ghana earn another FK. The effort, however, is easily dealt with by the Mali defence.

17' Mali are all over Ghana but the Black Starlets get a lucky break with a freekick in an inviting position. Idriss takes the shot and it wasn't too far from the equaliser. The Mali GK Koita's positioning was all over the place on that occasion.

15' GOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLL MALI!

Drame scores his first of the night after Jiddou releases him. The youngster outpaces the Ghanaian backline before powerfully putting it past Danlad. Mali take the lead.

12' Lucky break for Ghana there as Ayiah gets on the end of a loose aerial ball. His strike under pressure from inside the box goes wide as the Black Starlets skipper suffers a knock.

11' Yakubu with another clearing header, this time he heads it away for a corner after a delicious ball from the right flank nearly met Ndiaye's head.

Mali 2-1 Ghana, FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, As it happened!

Mali 2-1 Ghana, FT