Riot Mars World Cup Qualifier in Mali

A World Cup qualifier in Mali was stopped Sunday when fans rioted after a go-ahead goal by Togo in the 90th minute at Bamako.

Fans blocked a main road with flaming tires and smashed car windows after they invaded the field. Police fired tear gas as protesters descended on the capital’s main African Unity Avenue and screamed about the play of Mali’s top players.

“Give us Frederic Kanoute and Mamadou Bakayoko!” they demanded. “We’re going to kill them!”

Mali took an early lead on Soumaila Coulibaly’s goal in the 12th minute. But fans at the packed 70,000-seat stadium got upset when Salifou Mustapha tied the match in the 83rd minute, and Kader Koubadia put Togo ahead, 2-1, in the 90th. Police fired tear gas at dozens of angry fans who ran onto the field after the goal.

Thousands of fans marched to the city center, throwing rocks and stones.

In other World Cup qualifiers Sunday: Brazil beat visiting Peru, 1-0, as the defending World Cup champions struggled to get past Peru’s tight defensive scheme and outshot Peru by only 13-8. Kaka scored in the 73rd minute off a pass from Ronaldo.... Ecuador rallied to beat visiting Paraguay, 5-2.... Achille Webo scored in the 90th minute to give Cameroon a 2-1 win over visiting Sudan.

In other games, it was Ivory Coast 3, Benin 0; Congo 1, Ghana 1; Egypt 4, Libya 1; Rwanda 1, Algeria 0; and Zimbabwe 2, Angola 0.