AFCON 2013 SF: Nigeria steamroll Mali, 4-1

CAN 2013 - Mali 1 - 4 Nigéria by warrant

Goals from Elderson, Ideye Brown, Emmanuel Emenike, and Ahmed Musa put this match to rest for the Super Eagles. Cheick Mady Diarra clawed out a consolation goal. Nigeria advance to their seventh Africa Cup finals. They were winners in 1980 and 1994.

For Mali, a final would have brought a welcome reprieve from the civil strife that has torn their country as Islamic extremists expanded from their northern strongholds pushing south. French forces coupled with the Malian military succeeded in pushing the insurgents back to enforce an uneasy peace. Now comes the hard part in deciding what course to take for the future.