AFCON Round of 16: Mali vs Burkina Faso preview
Rivals Mali and Burkina Faso lock horns in the penultimate game of the Africa Cup of Nations round of 16, with both sides vying for the chance to face Ivory Coast in the quarterfinals.
The two sides stated their dark horse credentials in an impressive group stage campaign, so it anyone’s game as Les Aigles take on The Stallions.
The case for Mali
Mali went undefeated as they topped Group E, conceding just one goal along the way.
They kickstarted their campaign with a confident 2-0 win over South Africa before drawing 1-1 with Tunisia and 0-0 with Namibia.
They have by no means dazzled, but three assured performances have shown they have the necessary solidity to thrive in knockout football.
The rivalry between the neighbouring countries will only add drama to the contest, and manager Éric Chelle is calling on his players to rise to the occasion.
He said: “It’s a game with neighbouring countries just like we have seen in other matches however, this one is more special because it is in the knockouts.
“These are always interesting games to play and must be approached with caution and of course a bit of confidence.”
As they come up against a formidable Burkinabé side, Chelle will be hoping that his star players can begin performing.
Kamory Doumbia entered the tournament in fine goalscoring form at club level, but the attacking midfielder is yet to find the net in the Ivory Coast.
Doumbia in action for Brest in Ligue 1
Yves Bissouma has been a steady presence in midfield, but has not lived up to the expectations shaped by his solid campaign in the Premier League.
Chelle will hope his maestros can find their footing ahead of what he views as a tough fixture.
He said: “They play good football. The coach is experienced and is able to engage his team.
“It’s a pleasure playing against our neighbours, and we look forward to a good game as both teams that enjoy keeping the ball.”
Lassine Sinayoko could prove the difference in a close fought-affair, having netted in Mali’s opening two games and then generating 0.48 expected goals against Namibia.
Will he continue to wreak havoc when faced with the imperious Edmond Tapsoba?
The case for Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso qualified as the runners-up in Group D after losing 2-0 to Angola in their most recent fixture.
They had begun their campaign by squeaking past Mauritania 1-0, and then drew with Algeria on matchday two.
The Stallions may not have set the group stages alight, but they remain a fearsome prospect.
Centre-back Edmond Tapsoba has transferred the impressive form he has shown for Bayer Leverkusen to the international stage.
At the other end, Bertrand Traoré has brought attacking impetus despite being out of favour at Aston Villa.
With two goals at the tournament so far, and four across his AFCON career, the winger is one goal away from levelling Alain Traoré as The Stallions all-time top scorer at the competition.
Manager Hubert Velud has been spurred on by Burkinabé performances but wants The Stallions to show more poise.
Speaking after their 2-2 draw against Algeria, he said: “We had a very good game. We came close to winning but the regret we have is losing concentration for us to concede at the last minute but it was a very beautiful game.”
The Stallions have drawn great strength from their bench so far, with only Guinea-Bissau (24) using more players than Burkina Faso (23) in the group stages.
This could prove a valuable asset if this fixture heads into extra-time.
Their last meeting with Mali at AFCON ended in a 3-1 defeat, so Burkina Faso will be hoping to return their favour as they take on their West African rivals today.
