Mali Women produced a shock victory over Spain Women with an 82-73 win in the World Cup. Spain had dismantled their opponents 97-58 just weeks ago, so this turnaround came as a surprise. The hosts finished stronger despite the visitors holding the upper hand in raw volume for most of the contest. By then, the momentum had shifted firmly into the home court.
To be fair, Spain controlled the tempo and the paint, grabbing 18 offensive rebounds compared to Mali’s seven. They fired 72 shots from the field, far more than the 60 attempted by the hosts, yet efficiency decided the outcome. Mali connected on nine of their 22 three-pointers while Spain managed only four, proving there is no value left at that number when the perimeter defence holds firm.
The difference also showed up at the charity stripe, where Mali converted 13 of 16 attempts. Spain left nine free throws on the floor, a costly error in a close game. Both sides were sloppy with the ball, committing 19 and 16 turnovers respectively, but the hosts held their nerve in the final moments. The visitors struggled to finish through contact, which kept the score within reach until the closing stages.
This result ends a perfect run for the Spanish side, which had beaten Germany and China in their last two outings. They also recorded a dominant win against Belgium and Nigeria earlier in the tournament, making this loss all the more significant. Mali, meanwhile, bounced back from a heavy defeat to Japan and a loss to Spain to secure a crucial victory.
And here's the thing, the win keeps Mali in contention while putting pressure on Spain for the next round. The hosts now look like a team that can raise the tempo when they need to. It was a match decided by precision rather than possession, leaving Spain to wonder where the lead slipped away.