Morocco – Mali: will Morocco secure their place in the Africa Cup of Nations playoffs?
On Friday, 26 December, Morocco and Mali will face each other in the second round of the group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations. Kick-off is scheduled for 21:00 CET, and I am offering you a betting option for this match.
Morocco – Mali: match preview
Morocco are the hosts of this Africa Cup of Nations. They are among the main favourites to win the tournament and will certainly do everything possible to lift the trophy. In their opening match, the Moroccans claimed a comfortable 2:0 victory. It was a calm and confident start for Morocco. Notably, they last won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1976, and since then they have not managed to claim the title, losing once in the final. As a result, they will be eager to end this long drought and finally win the competition again.
Mali failed to beat Zambia in the opening round of the Africa Cup of Nations. They scored first in the 61st minute but were unable to hold on to their lead, conceding a late equaliser in the 90+2 minute. The draw meant dropped points, which is far from ideal, as Mali clearly aim to reach the knockout stage. At the previous tournament, they reached the quarter-finals. The team’s greatest achievement remains a second-place finish in 1972. Since then, they have not returned to the final, and to be honest, I do not see them as contenders this time either. First and foremost, they need to secure qualification for the playoffs.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Morocco are unbeaten in 18 consecutive matches.
- Morocco’s current scoring streak stands at five goals.
- Mali are unbeaten in four matches: two draws and two wins.
- Mali’s best achievement at the Africa Cup of Nations is a second-place finish in 1972.
- Morocco have won the Africa Cup of Nations once, in 1976.
- The most recent head-to-head match was won by Morocco 2:0. Mali last defeated this opponent in 2006.
Probable line-ups
- Morocco: Bono; Mazraoui, Aguerd, El Yamiq, Salah-Eddine; Ounahi, Amrabat, Saibari; Diaz, El Kaabi, El Aynaoui
- Mali: Diarra; Coulibally, Diaby, Fofana, Dante; Sangare, Dieng; Sinayoko, Doumbia, Nene; E B Toure
Prediction
Morocco are the clear favourites for this match. It will not be easy, but I believe they will come out on top, and that is the bet I am recommending.
