Morocco is facing Mali on Friday evening at 21h in their second group match of Group A at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025. This is going to be the second time the two teams have met at the AFCON finals, according to CAF online.
To date, Mali have made 14 AFCON appearances, finishing as runners-up in 1972 behind Congo.
They haven’t lost in their last 11 AFCON group matches but usually struggle in their second group game, winning only once since 2004 against Burkina Faso.
Since that moment, they haven’t won their second group game in their last nine AFCON tournaments.
Across all competitions, the two teams have met 20 times, with Morocco winning nine, Mali six, and five matches ending in a draw.
Their only previous AFCON meeting was a 4–0 win for Morocco in the 2004 semi-finals in Tunisia, with the national head coach Walid Regragui playing in that match.
That score is still Morocco’s biggest win at AFCON but Mali’s heaviest loss on the continental stage.
Mali’s AFCON record reflects resilience more than dominance, according to media reports, with 22 draws in 60 final matches and a total of 72 goals scored against 70 conceded.
Mali drew 1–1 against Zambia in their first group match of Group A, with forward Lassine Sinayoko, who plays for Auxerre in France’s Ligue 1 and is Mali’s fourth-highest AFCON scorer, scoring their goal.
Key players to watch for Mali include Sinayoko, Aliou Dieng, who completed a match-high 56 passes, and Mamadou Sangaré, who had a perfect dribble record, winning all six of his attempts.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Thursday, Regragui expects a different challenge from Mali, describing them as more physical and technically assertive.
“Mali will show more personality and create more space, but there will also be moments where we suffer,” he said.
Mali’s Belgian coach, Tom Saintfiet, said his team wants to bounce back after their draw with Zambia, adding that they have a strong squad and good attacking options and hope to take points against Morocco.
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