The Mali and Guinea U-23 national teams will do battle in the third/fourth place playoff of the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations at the Ibn Batouta Stadium in Tangier on Friday evening.
The game serves as the final automatic qualification spot for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Morocco and Egypt are guaranteed their place as finalists for Saturday’s showdown in Rabat to determine the U-23 AFCON champion.
Whoever finishes fourth will have to play the fourth-place team of the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup for the final qualification berth.
Mali lost to the tournament hosts Morocco 4-3 on penalties in the semi-finals after the game ended 2-2 at the conclusion of extra time.
Eagles coach Badara Alou Diallo considers the game against Guinea historic as it is the first meeting between the two Francophone countries that share borders. It is therefore poised to be a difficult game.
“Facing Guinea will be historic,” Diallo said.
“Because we are brothers and share a history, both teams will be hungry to win and qualify for the Olympics.”
Meanwhile, Guinea lost by a lone goal to defending champions Egypt and coach Morlaye Cisse believes the team with the better mental strength will win the bronze medal match.
“Both teams are gifted and play the same style of football, but the team with better mental strength will win,” he stated.
“We need to be very technical, athletic, and focused to achieve our ultimate goal of Olympic qualification.”
It's matchday! ⚽️
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????️ Grand Stade of TangierWho takes home the #TotalEnergiesAFCONU23 bronze medal? ???? pic.twitter.com/2Ez0axjIkN
— #TotalEnergiesAFCONU23 ???? (@CAF_Online) July 7, 2023
Mali forward Cheickna Doumbia and Guinea’s Mamadou Sangare are joint second-highest goals at the ongoing U-23 AFCON with two goals apiece, one behind Ghana’s Emmanuel Yeboah and Abde Ezzalzouli who lead the charts with three goals apiece.
