Morocco vs Mali: A Battle Where Nobody Expects the Eagles to Win
by Thobelani Moyo | by Thobelani Moyo
Morocco: The Atlas Lions are already within touching distance of progressing to the knockout stages
As the host nation of the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco feels the weight of expectation to impress. Despite being one of the strongest nations on the continent, they've struggled to assert their dominance in this competition.
You'd have to go back to 1976 for the last time they lifted the trophy, which was their first ever in history. Since then, it has been near misses and disappointments in the years to follow. There's reason to believe that this could be their year in which they end a 49-year trophy drought, and that in front of their fervent supporters.
The Atlas Lions began the current campaign on a positive note. Facing Comoros in their opening match in Group A was a walk in the park. The Real Madrid star Brahim Diaz, who at the conclusion of the game was named Man of the Match, made his debut by scoring the opening goal, which was also his first. Ayoub El Kaabi doubled the scoreline in the 74th minute, leading to a comfortable 2-0 win at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
That result meant that Morocco have now won each of their last four opening games in the AFCON finals. Their record in second group stage games is strong, avoiding defeat in 19 games at this stage (W8, D8). The last time they suffered an opening defeat was in 1998. Also, they've maintained a 12-match unbeaten run in this competition, comprising nine wins and three draws.
They may make life extremely difficult for the Mali side; they've already gotten the better of them in the AFCON. That meeting was a semi-final clash back in 2004, and it ended in a 4-0 victory. Can Walid Regragui's men make it two wins on the bounce against the West African nation and cement their position at the top of Group A? Check out what our experts have to say in our Morocco vs Mali prediction for more insights on the match.
Morocco AFCON facts:
- Morocco have never lost their second group since 2012 when they suffered a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Gabon.
- Morocco have qualified for the knockout stages four times in a row since 2017 and are two matches away from a fifth.
- Morocco are unbeaten in their last 12 AFCON finals.
Mali: The Eagles are aiming to do the impossible against the highest-ranked nation
Mali is fully aware of its current predicament and knows that victory won't be easy to achieve against the highest-ranked team globally. They wouldn't be feeling the pressure of securing three points had they remained sharp and determined in their opening match against Zambia.
El Bilal Toure had the opportunity to give his side the lead in the 42nd minute, but the Besiktas man saw his effort saved by Willard Mwanza. The second half saw another opportunity being presented to them, and this time Lassine Sinayoko was the man to see it off as he scoredin the 61st minute from a corner. However, his effort was deemed futile as an equalizer from the opposition at the death saw both sides being content with a point in a 1-1 draw.
When it came to Mali's front three in that match, Lassine Sinayoko had the most touches (57) and touches in the opposition box (7). He registered four shots and had an xG of 0.81, proving he is a threat in front of the goal that lacks the clinical edge.
The Eagles have one objective in mind, and that's to avoid dropping more points. Failure to success doesn't mean the end of the world, though, as they can still finish as the best third-placed teams in the tournament. There are a lot of scenarios at play when it comes to their prospects of progressing to the knockout stages and reaching the semi-finals for the first time since 2013.
Mali AFCON facts:
- Mali have taken a point in each of their last three second group stage games.
- Mali have never suffered a group stage defeat since 2017 when they lost 1-0 against Ghana in Group D.
- Mali had won their last three opening AFCON group stage games before their recent draw to Zambia.
