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.
The Eagles head into the crucial Group A encounter under pressure after being held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by Zambia in their opening match. With Morocco already off to a strong start following a comfortable 2-0 win over Comoros, Mali know they must respond to keep their qualification hopes firmly on track.
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, the Belgian tactician expects a fiercely contested encounter in Rabat.
“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, Saintfiet 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 seal qualification to the knockout stage with a second straight victory, but for Mali, the stakes are higher. A positive result against the hosts would significantly boost their chances of finishing among the top two in Group A, while defeat would leave their qualification hopes hanging ahead of the final round of matches.
