Mali were trailing host nation Germany 43-29 at half-time in their third and final Group A fixture at the FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin. A first quarter that had been evenly contested tipped decisively when Mali’s shooting collapsed and Germany, led by Leonie Fiebich with 13 first-half points, opened a gap before the buzzer.
Germany tightened their defence in the second quarter, converted their offensive possessions and shut down the lanes. Rokia Doumbia continued to push for Mali, who struggled to match the pace set by the Europeans, and coach Omarou Sidiya faced a half-time reset to keep the African side in the contest.
In the group’s other fixture, Spain held the lead over Japan. A Mali defeat combined with a Spanish win would confirm elimination for the African vice-champions.
