Soccer-Keita emerges from exile to lead Mali to semis

Mon Feb 6, 2012 4:01pm GMT

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By Mark Gleeson

LIBREVILLE Feb 6 (Reuters) - Seydou Keita has emerged as the undisputed leader of an exciting young Mali side six months after returning from a 20-month hiatus from the international game.

The 32-year-old Barcelona midfielder was carried high on the shoulders of his team mates after scoring the decisive penalty in the shootout against Gabon in their African Nations Cup quarter-final on Sunday.

It was an unlikely scenario a year ago when he was still refusing to play for the team in protest at what he saw as bad organisation by the country's soccer federation.

"It wasn't easy to score that penalty but this win is as good as any I've had at Barcelona," said Keita, who took centre stage at a news conference while coach Alain Giresse and captain Cedric Kante listened attentively.

"I'm one of the older players in the team but I feel younger than any of the other squad members right now."

Keita ignored his country's call-ups after the 2010 Nations Cup in Angola, where much was expected from Mali before they went out in the first round.

Persuaded back in September last year, he competed in the last two qualifiers to ensure Mali's participation at the tournament in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon and is now at the heart of a side that has undergone much change under Giresse.

Continued...

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