U-20 Fifa World Cup: Serbia beat listless Mali

Sergej Milinkovic of Serbia is challenged by Alassane Diallo of Mali during the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Photo / Getty Images

All four teams in group D at the Fifa Under-20 World Cup have three points after tonight's game at Otago Stadium.

Serbia beat a listless Mali side 2-0 to ensure those two teams plus Mexico and Uruguay would have everything to play for on Saturday.

The Serbians, who had lost to Uruguay on Sunday, put the game to rest in the 74th minute.

Three one-touch passes created a simple tap-in for substitute forward Stanisa Mandic to make it 2-0.

It was an oddly flat first half, enlivened by one piece of absolute brilliance.

Serbian midfielder Sergej Malinkovic scored the opening goal with a blistering free kick that rocketed past Mali goalkeeper Djiqui Diarra.

Mali had much more ball but could not do enough with it, and both sides were guilty of some haphazard shooting.

The Otago Stadium doubleheader attracted a moderate crowd, most Dunedinites electing to stay at home as the city was hit by flooding.

Serbia 2 (Sergej Malinkovic 27, Stanisa Mandic 74), Mali 0.
Halftime: Serbia 1-0.