Mali faces the host country of this CAN 2023, Côte d’Ivoire, in the third quarter-final of the competition.
Since the start of the competition, Mali has progressed quietly but could gradually apply for spoilsport status in this CAN 2023. The Eagles have still not lost and are approaching this quarter-final with confidence after having beaten Burkina Faso in the round of 16 (2-1). “When I came back from selection with Mali, Éric told me jokingly that he would one day take the Malian selection and win the CAN. He was laughing but thought it a little,” said Samba Sow about Malian coach Éric Chelle.
Opposite, Ivory Coast is more than ever miraculous of this competition which takes place on its lands. The Elephants were not far from being eliminated from the group stage but managed to escape with the help of Morocco in particular. In the round of 16, without Jean-Louis Gasset, then dismissed, Emerse Faé’s Ivory Coast managed to take out the defending champion, Senegal, after a penalty shootout (1-1, 5 tab to 4). “The plan was to find solidarity and find a team unit. To stand together, to defend together, to attack together. There was no particular plan to block this or that player, but we really wanted to find ourselves. We wanted to find men, we wanted to find the Elephants,” declared Emerse Faé before the round of 16.
The Mali – Ivory Coast match will start at 6 p.m. this Saturday, February 3. It will take place in Bouaké, Ivory Coast, at the Stade de la Paix.
This Mali – Ivory Coast will be broadcast on Bein Sports 1. The broadcast will begin at 5:30 p.m. for the pre-match.
The only streaming broadcast available to follow this Mali – Ivory Coast will be on the Canal platform, MyCanal. You must have a subscription to follow the match.
Mali should present themselves in a usual 4-3-1-2 for this meeting with the presence of the Auxerre striker in front of Lassine Sinayoko. Brestois Kamory Doumbia should be in support. The Malians’ probable XI: Diarra – Sacko, Niakate, Kouyaté, Traoré – Camara, Bissouma, Dieng – Doumbia – Sinayoko, Koita.
Opposite, Emerse Faé could bring a lot of changes to the team which took out Senegal in the round of 16. Indeed, the 4-4-1-1 could be replaced by a 4-3-3 with the presence of a new offensive trio Kouame-Pepe-Diakité. The probable XI of the Elephants: Fofana – Aurier, Boly, Ndicka, Konan – Sangare, Kessié, Fofana – Diakité, Pepe, Kouame.
What are the predictions for the Mali – Ivory Coast match?
On sports betting sites, Ivory Coast is the favorite of the match. On Unibet, the Elephants are at 2.19, the draw is at 3.02 and the Malian victory is at 3.42. On Parionssport, the Eagles are at 3.50, the draw is at 2.90 and the Ivory Coast victory is at 2.20.
