The Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals promise high drama today, with two heavyweight encounters on the card. At 18:00, Mali take on Senegal at the Grande Stade de Tanger, followed later by Cameroon’s showdown with Morocco at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium at 21:00.
Mali and Senegal meet for only the second time at AFCON finals. Their previous clash came in the 2004 group stage, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Overall, the two nations have faced each other 41 times, with Senegal winning 19, Mali claiming 8 victories, and 13 matches ending in draws.
Mali arrive in the quarterfinals after edging Tunisia 3-2 on penalties in the round of 16, while Senegal progressed with a convincing 3-1 win over Sudan. Mali coach Tom Saintfiet acknowledged the challenge ahead, saying: “Senegal is one of the biggest teams on the continent. They have been at the highest level for years and are very stable, with great individual quality and strong team cohesion,” as reported by CAF Media. He added: “Our plan is ready for Senegal. We have a lot of respect for them, and we will do everything possible to stay in this competition until the end.”
Later in the evening, five-time AFCON champions Cameroon face host nation Morocco. Cameroon secured their quarterfinal spot with a 2-1 win over South Africa in the round of 16. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Cameroon’s head coach acknowledged the scale of the challenge: “Morocco has the stars. Achraf Hakimi plays for PSG, he is the best African player; there is no Cameroonian at that level. Morocco is the natural favourite, a World Cup semi-finalist. We would never say here that Cameroon is the favourite. We are playing the host country, a big team. It will be a difficult match.”
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Cameroon’s head coach acknowledged the challenge that lies ahead: “Morocco has the stars. Achraf Hakimi plays for PSG, he is the best African player; there is no Cameroonian at that level. Morocco is the natural favourite, a World Cup semi-finalist. We would never say here that Cameroon is the favourite. We are playing the host country, a big team. It will be a difficult match.”
Morocco, who defeated Tanzania 1-0 in the round of 16, enter the tie as favourites. They also hold the edge in recent meetings, having beaten Cameroon at the 2020 CHAN.
Written by Mabongi Gazu