Mali vs South Africa Prediction & Betting Tips - AFCON
by Devesh Jaganath | in AFCON Prediction
Mali and South Africa will lock horns in their first match of the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday evening. Group D looks like a very level group and also features Tunisia and Namibia, who will face off in the other group in the match earlier in the day. Ranked 12th among African footballing nations according to FIFA, South Africa have won the AFCON once in the past 1996, while Mali, ranked eighth, have never won Africa’s premier title.
Take a look at our AFCON Tips for all the matches in the competition.
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The Best Betting Odds for Mali v South Africa Match
| Bookmaker | 1 | X | 2 | Bonus up to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1.73 | 3.3 | 5.75 |
|
|
1.81 | 3.05 | 5 |
|
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Who will win the Mali vs South Africa Football match?
The best predictions and winner betting odds for the match between Mali and South Africa of AFCON on 1/16/24 :
- There is a probability of 59.13% ⭐ for Mali to win this match against South Africa ⚽ with odds of 1.81 found at NetBet.
- Bet365 ⭐ has the best odds for a draw prediction ⚽️ at 3.3 which implies a probability of 27.19%.
- Currently, the best odds ⭐ for South Africa to win the match are about 5.75 at Bet365. That means a probability of 13.67%.
Mali - South Africa Prediction and Best Odds:
| Mali vs South Africa prediction | Win Probability | Best Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Mali is favoured to win | 59.13 % | 1.81 |
| Draw | 27.19 % | 3.3 |
| South Africa wins the game | 13.67 % | 5.75 |
Mali vs South Africa Form
Mali and South Africa's standings in the AFCON
| Teams | Pts | P | W | D | L | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
|
2
|
4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Mali and South Africa Last Matches
5/6 (83%)
1/6 (17%)
0/6 (0%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
6 Jan 2024 - International Friendlies
20 Nov 2023 - World Cup
17 Nov 2023 - World Cup
17 Oct 2023 - International Friendlies
13 Oct 2023 - International Friendlies
8 Sep 2023 - AFCON
2/6 (33%)
3/6 (50%)
1/6 (17%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
10 Jan 2024 - International Friendlies
21 Nov 2023 - World Cup
18 Nov 2023 - World Cup
17 Oct 2023 - International Friendlies
13 Oct 2023 - International Friendlies
12 Sep 2023 - International Friendlies
Mali - South Africa: Form Analysis
All four teams in Group D will feel that they have a realistic shot at qualifying for the knockout stages. Mali are the second-most fancied to do just that behind African powerhouses Tunisia. Mali secured their spot in AFCON 2023 by topping Group G, surpassing Gambia, Congo, and South Sudan. They ended the group stage with an impressive 15 points after six matches, with their only setback being a 1-0 defeat to second-placed Gambia. Among all the teams that qualified, only Algeria managed to accumulate more points in their respective group, finishing with 16 points. Mali have established themselves as regular participants in the Africa Cup of Nations, making their 13th appearance in this tournament. Notably, Mali holds the record for the most games played at the AFCON without clinching the trophy, having participated in 54 matches. Their closest brush with victory occurred in 1972 when they reached the final but were narrowly defeated 3-2 by Congo.
Meanwhile, South Africa earned qualification for AFCON 2023 by securing the runners-up position in Group K, surpassing Liberia and the disqualified Zimbabwe. Accumulating seven points in four games, South Africa's lone defeat occurred against the group leaders, Morocco, who were one of the two teams to qualify ahead of them. South Africa secured their spot on March 28, 2023, with Morocco and Algeria being the only teams to qualify earlier, achieving their spots on March 24, 2023, and March 27, 2023, respectively. Bafana Bafana has taken part in the tournament ten times. Bafana Bafana have faced challenges in making a significant impact in their last nine AFCON appearances since winning it at their first attempt in 1996. In the 2019 edition, they managed to reach the quarter-finals but faced defeat with a 2-1 scoreline against Nigeria.
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Players list
D. Diarra
DefenderH. Traore
Kiki
S. Niakate
F. Sacko
MidfielderK. Doumbia
B. Traore
F. Diabate
L. Coulibaly
ForwardI. Sissoko
N. Dorgeles
R. Williams
DefenderK. Mudau
S. Xulu
M. Mvala
A. Modiba
T. Morena
MidfielderT. Mokoena
S. Sithole
ForwardP. Tau
M. Mayambela
Z. Lepasa
Substitutes
A. Doumbia
I. Diawara
DefenderM. Fofana
A. Dante
MidfielderB. Traore
L. Coulibaly
A. Traore
ForwardY. Niakate
M. Doumbia
I. Sissoko
F. Diabate
N. Dorgeles
V. Mothwa
R. Goss
DefenderN. Sibisi
G. Kekana
T. Morena
N. Mobbie
T. Mashego
MidfielderJ. Adams
T. Monare
ForwardM. Mayambela
Z. Lepasa
O. Appollis
Missing players
M. Camara
L. Mothiba
Mali & South Africa Squad Analysis
Eric Chelle’s side were dealt several late injury blows in the lead-up to this competition. Among those who pulled out of the squad were Crystal Palace midfielder Cheick Doucoure, Almeria striker Ibrahima Kone, Standard Liege’s Moussa Djenepo, and Massadio Haidara of RC Lens in Ligue 1. Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma will be a key part of Mali’s midfield, while Kamory Doumbia will spearhead the attack.
Hugo Broos, on the other hand, will give captain Ronwen Williams every chance before ruling him out for the opening match. The Mamelodi Sundowns shot-stopper has been nursing a knee injury for the past few weeks and has not been confirmed as a starter just yet. However, the biggest miss for Bafana Bafana will be Burnely striker Lyle Foster, who turned down the option to play in this competition for mental health reasons. Themba Zwane (knee) and Mothobi Mvala (groin) are also doubts.
Mali - South Africa Key Points
- Mali are unbeaten in their last seven matches in all competitions
- Mali have won seven of their last ten matches
- Mali have scored two or more goals in five of their last seven games
- Mali are ranked four places above South Africa among African nations
- South Africa have only won one of their last five matches in all competitions
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Our Mali vs South Africa Prediction
Group D looks like the most level in the competition on paper, and Mali are currently second-favourite to qualify behind Tunisia. The Eagles have excellent momentum with six wins in their last seven and will fancy their chances against a Bafana Bafana side that have found goals hard to come by of late. We fancy Mali to win this match, but the odds allow for us to opt for the safety of our money back in the event of a draw. Our Mali vs South Africa prediction: Mali Draw No Bet.
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Mali vs South Africa match : Frequently asked questions
The AFCON match between Mali and South Africa will take place on Sunday, January 16 at 20:00 GMT.
Mali and South Africa will face off at Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium in Korhogo, Ivory Coast.
The top two teams in each group and the four best-ranked third-placed teams will advance to the last 16. You can check out our AFCON predictions for every match from our African football experts.
In the UK, the game will be televised live on Sky Sports. Subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app.
TV viewers in the United States will be able to watch the game on beIN SPORTS CONNECT, Fanatiz USA.
African viewers can tune in to DSTV, Supersport, or the Nigerian Television Authority for live broadcasts.
You can also catch all the up-to-the-minute action of all the AFCON 2024 matches on our live score page if you are not near a TV set.
All tips are fully researched and given in good faith, but profits cannot be guaranteed.
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