Mali head coach Tom Saintfiet believes his side can rise to the occasion when they face host nation Morocco on Matchday Two of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, insisting he has no reason to fear the Atlas Lions.
Mali head into the crucial Group A encounter in need of a result after being held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by Zambia in their opening game. With Morocco already off to a winning start following a comfortable 2-0 victory over Comoros, the pressure is firmly on the Eagles to respond.
Speaking exclusively to ABC News GH TV, Saintfiet drew confidence from past experience, recalling a famous victory over Morocco during his time in charge of The Gambia.
“I played once against Morocco in 2019 when I was with the Gambian national team and Hervé Renard was their head coach. The game was in Marrakesh,” Saintfiet said.
“At that time Morocco had players like Hakimi, Ziyech and Bono. Surprisingly, Gambia won that game 1-0. It was a big surprise.”
While acknowledging the quality of the hosts, Saintfiet expects a fiercely contested encounter in Rabat.
“Now, it will be a competitive game where Morocco start as favourites. They have brilliant players and a beautiful stadium where we will play,” he noted.
“It will be a sold-out game and the majority of the fans will be Moroccans. That will be a fantastic atmosphere.”
Despite the intimidating setting, the Belgian tactician is urging his players to embrace the challenge rather than shy away from it.
“We don’t have to be afraid, scared or stressed by these kinds of games. These are the games we want to play. We have to believe in our own quality,” he stressed.
Morocco will be aiming to secure qualification to the knockout stage with a second straight win, but for Mali, the stakes are much higher. A victory against the hosts would significantly boost their chances of finishing among the top two teams in Group A, while defeat would leave their qualification hopes hanging in the balance heading into the final round of matches.
