Mali made an excellent start to their Africa Cup of Nations campaign as they headed top of Group E with a deserved 2-0 win over South Africa.

More than 16,000 were in attendance at the Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium in Korhogo to see whether South Africa could spring another surprise in a stadium and a group where Namibia had shocked Tunisia 1-0 earlier in the day. But South Africa’s best chance to cause such an upset was squandered midway through the first half when ex-Brighton forward Percy Tau stepped up to take a penalty awarded by VAR. Instead of finding the net, he skied the ball far over the crossbar, and the contest was still goalless at the interval.

After the break, Mali turned the screw and took the lead on 60 minutes when Kamory Doumbia’s free-kick slammed the underside of the crossbar. Skipper Hamari Traore tapped home from on the line.

It took just six minutes for Mali to double their lead, with Lassine Sinayoko outmuscling Siyanda Xulu and calmly slotting under goalkeeper Ronwen Williams. That quickfire double proved enough for Les Aigles, who go top of Group E after a fully merited victory.

Mali vs South Africa latest news

• Full-time — Mali 2-0 winners over South Africa

• GOAL – Sinayoko doubles Mali's lead

• GOAL – Traore puts Mali ahead

• PENALTY MISSED – Tau blazes over

• Kick off

Thanks for joining us

22:12 , Dom Smith

Well that was excellent start for Mali in this competition, notching two second-half goals and giving South Africa a painful headache after Percy Tau's missed penalty.

The 1996 champions will hope to give their own campaign lift-off when they face Namibia in five days' time.

Thanks for tuning in to Standard Sport's live coverage of Mali versus South Africa, and we'll catch you for another AFCON match soon!

FT: Mali 2-0 South Africa

21:54 , Dom Smith

Full-time, and Mali have achieved a really impressive opening-night victory.

Traore and Sinayoko's goals inside six second-half minutes are enough to beat South Africa.

Mali 2-0 South Africa

21:53 , Dom Smith

90+4' Mokoena's free-kick from range is saved onto the crossbar. So nearly a late goal back for South Africa...

Mali 2-0 South Africa

21:52 , Dom Smith

90+4' Coulibaly picks up a yellow right at the death here.

Four minutes added on

21:49 , Dom Smith

Probably not enough time for South Africa, that!

Mali 2-0 South Africa

21:47 , Dom Smith

88' Lots of subs late on here.

Nene, Sissoko and Wolves's Boubacar Traore enter the fray for Haidara, Koita and goalscorer Sinayoko.

South Africa also make a change, with Maseko replaced by Morena.

Mali 2-0 South Africa

21:44 , Dom Smith

85' CLOSE! Sighter for Haidara, who fizzes a low shot just wide.

Williams absolutely beaten.

Mali 2-0 South Africa

21:42 , Dom Smith

83' Mali just slowing things down now.

South Africa seeing a fair amount of possession but struggling to make inroads. Would be some comeback if they could avoid defeat from here!

Mali 2-0 South Africa

21:37 , Dom Smith

78' Xulu goes into the book for South Africa, before Diabate replaces Dieng for Mali.

Mali 2-0 South Africa

21:33 , Dom Smith

73' Xulu heads over from a corner for South Africa.

Those goals have stunned them, really.

Zwane and Makgopa make way for Zakhele Lerato Lepasa and Mihlali Mayambela for the losing side.

GOAL — Mali double their lead!

21:26 , Dom Smith

In an instant, Mali are 2-0 up!

Sinayoko receives a pass into the box, barges Xulu off the ball and slots under the keeper coolly. 2-0 Mali, and a real challenge for South Africa from here...

GOAL

21:19 , Dom Smith

63' Mali take the lead through captain Hamari Traore, the right-back!

The free-kick from Kamory Doumbia crashes against the crossbar, takes goalkeeper Ronwen Williams out of the game, and steaming in comes Traore to make it 1-0 here.

Mali 0-0 South Africa

21:17 , Dom Smith

59' Mvala given a yellow card for a poor challenge on Sinayoko.

Plenty inside the stadium wanted a penalty for Mali, but the referee was spot on in saying it was outside the box where the challenge took place.

Mali 0-0 South Africa

21:16 , Dom Smith

57' First sub for Mali. Tottenham's Yves Bissouma's race is run, as Lassana Coulibaly replaces him.

Mali 0-0 South Africa

21:08 , Dom Smith

50' HUGE CHANCE FOR MALI. Sacko played in beautifully but smashes over from no more than six yards out.

Should have scored!

Back underway

21:04 , Dom Smith

The second half begins. 0-0 still, South Africa still no doubt ruing the penalty miss by Percy Tau.

Added time

20:46 , Dom Smith

Two minutes added on here.

Mali 0-0 South Africa

20:44 , Dom Smith

43' Both Mali centre-backs walking a tightrope for the rest of this match as Kouyate goes into the book for a late challenge.

Mali 0-0 South Africa

20:41 , Dom Smith

40' Mokoena, who has started really well, shoots powerfully from range.

Goalkeeper Diarra makes a bit of a meal of it but does hold on at the second attempt.

Mali 0-0 South Africa

20:36 , Dom Smith

36' Chance for Tau there, who forces Diarra into a decent save from the right flank. Powerful effort but just too tight an angle to squeeze home the opener.

Tau's poor record from the spot

20:27 , Dom Smith

That was Percy Tau's third penalty miss in his career... and he's only taken six!

A poor record that, at just 50 per cent converted.

Mali 0-0 South Africa

20:23 , Dom Smith

23' Blazed over from Tau, looking to make amends for his penalty miss but with another poor effort, this time from range.

PENALTY MISSED

20:21 , Dom Smith

20' Well that is one of the worst penalties I have ever seen. Ever. Percy Tau, the former Brighton forward, hashes the ball over the bar. Huge chance wasted by South Africa. Goalless it remains.

Mali 0-0 South Africa

20:19 , Dom Smith

18' PENALTY SOUTH AFRICA.

The referee awards South Africa a spot-kick after consulting VAR. Niakate is booked for an elbow on Makgopa

Mali 0-0 Souh Africa

20:15 , Dom Smith

14' BIG CHANCE. South Africa nearly ahead there as Maseko crosses and Tau forces a save from Diarra. Good stop.

Mali 0-0 South Africa

20:10 , Dom Smith

10' CLOSE! RB Leipzig's Haidara hammers a volley from range which Williams saves well. Mali came close there.

First half-chance

20:08 , Dom Smith

6' A tentative start from both sides here, but Thapelo Maseko has the first shot of the match as he strikes at the goalkeeper from miles out.

KICK-OFF!

20:01 , Dom Smith

1' Underway in Korhogo between Mali and South Africa.

Getting closer

19:48 , Dom Smith

Just over 10 minutes now until we are underway between Mali and South Africa in the AFCON openers for both teams

Shock in Group E

19:41 , Dom Smith

Well it's all over in the first game in Group E, and South Africa and Mali have been warned, because Namibia have caused an almighty shock by beating Tunisia 1-0 with an 88th-minute winner from Deon Hotto!

Mali starting XI

19:28 , Dom Smith

It's a 4-3-3 that Mali have gone with:

Diarra; Traore, Niakate, Kouyate, Sacko; Bissouma, Dieng, Haidara; Doumbia, Koita, Sinayoko

South Africa starting XI

19:24 , Dom Smith

It's a 4-4-2 for South Africa.

Williams; Mudau, Xulu, Mvala, Modiba; Tau, Mokoena, Sithole, Maseko; Zwane, Makgopa

Subs: Mobbie, Mashego, Appollis, Adams, Monare, Mothwa, Lepasa, Kekana, Sibisi, Mayambela, Goss, Morena

Familiar faces

19:21 , Dom Smith

We are still awaiting the starting line-ups for both teams, but in the mean time can look at the familiar names to fans of the Premier League.

For South Africa who are without Burnley's Lyle Foster for the tournament as he prioritises his mental health, some will recall striker Percy Tau's admittedly short stint at Brighton a few years ago.

Mali are not able to call on Crystal Palace's injured midfielder Cheick Doucoure, but they do have Tottenham's Yves Bissouma, Hull City's Adama Traore and Boubacar Traore of Wolves in their squad.

Starting XIs imminent

18:55 , Dom Smith

We should have the two teams' starting line-ups to bring you in just a few minutes now!

South Africa form

18:50 , Dom Smith

South Africa head into this contest on the back of a mixed run of form.

Victories over DR Congo (in September) and Benin (November) represent high points, but they have also drawn 0-0 with lowly neighbours Eswatini and Lesotho. A 2-0 defeat to Rwanda in November was another result that might give Mali confidence here.

Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium

18:33 , Dom Smith

The venue for tonight's match will also host Mali's second match, against Tunisia on January 20, as well as all of South Africa's group games.

It will then be the venue for Tanzania versus DR Congo in Group F on January 24, and six days later will play host to a round of 16 match between the Group D runners-up and the Group E winners.

Might Mali or South Africa be involved?

Famous meeting

18:19 , Dom Smith

The most famous meeting between Mali and South Africa came in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final.

Hosts South Africa had topped Group A, with Mali coming through second in Group B.

Goals from Seydou Keita and Tokelo Rantie took the game to penalties, where Mali prevailed 3-1. The Malians finished third in that tournament, their best finish since coming second in 1972.

Group E check

17:57 , Dom Smith

The other two nations in Group E, Tunisia and Namibia, are currently facing off at the Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium in Korhogo. It's currently half-time there, and the score is 0-0.

Latest odds

17:48 , Dom Smith

We've predicted a narrow 1-0 win for Mali, and the latest betting markets certainly agree that this could prove a stern test for South Africa.

Mali vs South Africa match odds

Mali: 1/1

South Africa: 16/5

Draw: 11/5

Odds via Bet365 (subject to change).

Head to head (H2H) previous results

17:39 , Dom Smith

This will be only the fourth meeting in the history of these two sides.

Here's how the previous three went:

Mali wins: 2

South Africa wins: 1

Draws: 0

Mali vs South Africa: Score prediction today

17:31 , Jonathan Gorrie

Goals are the big issue for South Africa and a talented Mali team may have too much for them.

Mali to win, 1-0.

South Africa team news vs Mali today

17:31 , Jonathan Gorrie

The vast majority of the South African team is made up of domestic-based players and does not feature Burnley striker Lyle Foster, who declined to play at AFCON for mental health reasons.

Mali team news vs South Africa today

17:30 , Jonathan Gorrie

Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma will be key to Mali's set-up in Ivory Coast, while Kamory Doumbia is hoping to break out at the tournament after five goals in just nine caps for his country.

But injuries have taken their toll with Cheick Doucoure of Crystal Palace, Almeria striker Ibrahima Kone, Moussa Djenepo and Massadio Haidara all unavailable.

Mali vs South Africa: TV channel and live stream

17:30 , Jonathan Gorrie

TV channel: In the UK, today's game will be televised live on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event.

Live stream: Subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app.

Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog.

Welcome

17:25 , Jonathan Gorrie

Good evening and welcome to Standard Sport's LIVE coverage of Mali's AFCON meeting with South Africa tonight.

Kick-off from the Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium is at 8pm BST.