‘When Freddie Kanoute, the Tottenham Hotspur forward, elected to play for Mali rather than France a little more than a year ago, he probably had visions of thousands of supporters shouting his name. He can hardly have imagined that they would be calling for his head, which is what he experienced on Sunday when rioting fans, enraged by Mali’s impending defeat at home to Togo, called for Kanoute to be handed over so that they could kill him.
‘Hundreds of supporters in the sold-out March 26 Stadium, 70,000 capacity, invaded the pitch, to be confronted by teargas from police. Gunshots were heard and state television immediately suspended its coverage, but viewers had already got the message. Thousands were already in the streets of central Bamako when they were joined by fans after the match was abandoned.
‘The mob finally congregated on African Unity Avenue, the city’s main thoroughfare, shouting for Kanoute and Mamadou Bagayoko, of Nantes, his fellow striker, as the two players they blamed for the defeat. “We’re going to kill them!” was the cry.
‘For good measure, the rioters blocked roads with burning tyres and cars, destroyed monuments, set fire to the building that houses the local Olympic committee, robbed passers-by and looted shops. If, as seems likely, Fifa allows the result to stand, Togo will join Senegal and Zambia, the leaders, on 13 points.’