Mali upset Spain 82-73 at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, securing their first tournament victory since 2010. The stunning result delivered Mali’s second-ever World Cup win after their 2010 victory over Senegal.
Spain entered the contest ranked sixth globally, while Mali stood 18th in the FIBA women’s rankings. Despite the ranking gap, Mali produced an aggressive performance against one of Europe’s strongest basketball teams.
Spain led 34-32 at halftime, but Mali completely changed the momentum after the break. A dominant third quarter saw Mali outscore Spain 31-19 and seize control of the contest.
Sika Kone spearheaded the historic performance with 19 points and 10 rebounds for Mali. Djeneba N’Diaye also contributed 19 points as Mali maintained pressure throughout the crucial stages.
Kone added two important three-pointers during Mali’s decisive 16-4 third-quarter run against Spain. That explosive sequence transformed a narrow deficit into a commanding advantage for the African side.
Mali then scored the opening five points of the fourth quarter to strengthen their grip on the game. Spain struggled to recover and never reduced the deficit below nine points during the final period.
Iyana Martin led Spain with 20 points, but her contribution could not prevent the unexpected defeat.
Meanwhile, Mali’s victory marked their first World Cup triumph against European opposition. The achievement also ended a long wait since Mali’s previous tournament victory against Senegal in 2010.
For Mali, the upset represents a major milestone in their development on basketball’s biggest international stage. Historically, the team endured a winless 2022 tournament before returning stronger in Berlin this year.
Now, Mali upset Spain in one of the tournament’s biggest surprises and strengthen their hopes of advancing. Their victory also gives African basketball another memorable moment on the global stage.
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