DURBAN, South Africa — Captain Seydou Keita won't let a possible disagreement over player bonuses spoil what he called Mali's “priceless” campaign at the African Cup of Nations — even if it means paying some of the money himself. After Keita's Mali progressed to the quarterfinals following a 1-1 draw against Congo, the skipper said there could still be a problem over extra payments for players if they reached the semifinals by beating host South Africa on Saturday. But the former Barcelona midfielder said he would help if it was needed, and stressed Mali's attempt to succeed at the African Cup and win a first ever title to bring some joy to its troubled homeland was “not about money.” “You cannot imagine how moved and happy I am to be here today and be able to play a match that will bring joy to my country,” Keita said after Mali's 1-1 draw with Congo saw it reach the least eight. “This is priceless. Money doesn't matter in such moments.” Mali has twice entered the cup with problems back home. At last year's tournament, Keita appealed for peace in Mali as a military coup unfolded while the team was playing in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. There, Mali made the semifinals and eventually finished third for one of its best results. This time, a French-led military intervention against extremists in its homeland has hung over the team's 2013 campaign. With this in mind, Keita said his squad had “made an effort” to reduce their bonus payments. Mali will come up against South Africa and 50,000 vuvuzela-blowing home fans in their quarterfinal in Durban, where the Malians will happily fill the role of the underdog, coach Patrice Carteron said. Ghana stars get $35,000 Each Ghana player received $35,000 (26,012 euros) after qualifying for the quarterfinals following a 3-0 win over Niger, officials said Tuesday. “The bonuses have been paid,” confirmed Ghana team manager Emmanuel Kyeremeh. “Had they failed to qualify for the quarterfinals, they would not have received anything,” he added. Four-time champion Ghana topped Group B with seven points from three matches and Mali finished runners-up on four points. The Black Stars face Cape Verde Saturday in the first quarter-final at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in this Indian Ocean city. Drogba backs rotation policy Turkey-bound African football superstar Didier Drogba has backed the rotation system of coach Sabri Lamouchi after Ivory Coast won Group D at the Cup of Nations with a game to spare. The perennial title favorite faces Algeria at Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace Wednesday with only pride at stake after contrasting victories over Togo and Tunisia in this north-western mining town. Ivory Coast took 88 minutes to subdue stubborn Togo with Gervinho finishing off a free kick from fellow English Premier League star Yaya Toure, and Lamouchi responded by making four changes. Togo, meanwhile, takes on Tunisia in the other game of the day in a winner-takes-all encounter. With Ivory Coast already assured of top spot, the Nelspruit game will determine who joins the Elephants in the quarterfinals. Togo and Tunisia are tied on three points, but substitute Dove Wome's goal helped give the Togolese the upper hand on goal difference, one of the criteria to split the teams in the event of a tie. That means coach Didier Six's side will go through at the expense of the 2004 champion should Tuesday's game end in stalemate, with Tunisia joining fellow north Africans Morocco and Algeria on the Nations Cup scrapheap. — Agencies
