Preview : Mali vs Mauritania - Africa Cup of Nations - Round 3

Gambia vs Tunisia

SCHEDULE	TIME
GAME	Gambia vs Tunisia
DATE	20/01/2022
TIME	14:00 PM (UTC)
VENUE	Japoma Stadium (Douala)
LEAGUE	Africa Cup of Nations - Round 3

TV Channel Info

More Information

Streaming starts 5 minutes before kick off

Preview

◉ A late penalty for each side saw the points shared in Mali’s second matchday at this Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) edition. Though Mali will be disappointed at conceding the last-gasp equaliser in their 1-1 draw against Gambia, they need only to win against the already-eliminated Mauritania to guarantee progression as one of Group F’s top two sides.

◉ Given that joint-leaders Gambia face far sterner opposition – the group’s top seeds, Tunisia – heavy match favourites Mali actually hold the aces in terms of winning the group. Their fans will expect a straightforward win, especially as each of Mali’s last six regular-time wins in the AFCON tournament proper have seen them get a clean-sheet and/or handicap-beating scoreline.

◉ Mauritania’s fate was sealed by a limp 4-0 defeat to Tunisia in Sunday’s AFCON action. The ‘Lions of Chinguetti’ remain as tame as kittens, without a goal from open play across five prior AFCON finals matches. In turn, their most recent competitive win as underdogs against a CAF-zone nation still dates back to August 2019.

◉ Along with a 50-place gap between the sides in FIFA’s current rankings, the H2H record also illustrates a great disparity. Mauritania have won only four of their prior clashes against Mali (D8, L19), and the last of those victories came way back in November 1995!

◉ Players to watch: Ibrahima Koné has netted a second-half penalty for Mali in both group games played so far, additionally making three of his last four international strikes match openers. With goals contrastingly lacking amongst Mauritania’s ranks, they might again look to Hemeya Tanjy for inspiration, as he netted an injury-time winner in Mauritania’s last victory.

◉ Hot stat: Mali have conceded exactly once in five of their last six ‘matchday three’ group fixtures at AFCON finals (W3, D3).

Mali starting lineup:

Mounkoro; Haidara, Kouyate, Sacko, Traore; Samassekou, Camara, Bissouma; Djenepo, Traore, Kone

Mauritania starting lineup:

Diop; Thiam, Abeid, Yali, Houbeibib; Karamoko, N'Diaye, Fofana, Mahmoud; Ba, Kamara

Prediction

Mali 2-0 Mauritania

Mali were denied a place in the knockout stages last time out when they played out a draw with Gambia. However, like all good sides do, we are tipping them to bounce back to winning ways against a floundering Mauritania side and qualify for the next phase of the tournament.