Ghana have failed to qualify for the 2019 Fifa U-20 World Cup after losing their final group game at the Total U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Niger on Saturday. 

The former world champions were beaten 1-0 by the Eagles at the Stade Général Seyni Kountché, Niamey. 

The result also means the former African champions will take no part in the semi-finals of the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations. 

Mali won the match thanks to a second-half strike by Hadji Drame. The Satellites huffed and puffed but could not grab the equaliser which would have been enough to see them through. 

Mali have thus booked their place at the World Cup and also qualify for the Afcon semi-finals, joining Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa. 

Ghana is the only African country to win the Fifa U-20 World Cup in 2009 but the last time they qualified for the global showpiece was in 2015.