Match: Mali v Senegal
Date: Friday January 9, 1800h CAT
Venue: Tangier Grand Stadium
Where to watch: Live on SuperSport AFCON and SuperSport Maximo 360
Head-to-head
Played: 42
Senegal wins: 19
Mali wins: 9
Draws: 14
Last meeting: March 26, 2019, Senegal 2-1 Mali (International Friendly)
Key battle
Pape Gueye v Yves Bissouma
Gueye’s AFCON stats
Appearances: 3
Minutes played: 237
Goals/assists: 2/0
Yellow/red cards: 0/0
Bissouma’s AFCON stats
Appearances: 3
Minutes played: 240
Goals/assists: 0/0
Yellow/red cards: 1/0
The AFCON quarterfinal pivots on midfield muscle, where Pape Gueye’s rangy ball-winning and
tempo-setting for Senegal meets Yves Bissouma’s press-resistant drive for Mali.
It’s a duel of stamina, discipline and aggression, likely to dictate transitions, territorial control and which side imposes its rhythm under knockout pressure on the night itself.
Tactical outlook
Pape Thiaw v Tom Saintfiet
The quarterfinal chess match pits Pape Thiaw’s compact, transition-focused Senegal against Tom
Saintfiet’s meticulously drilled Mali.
Thiaw’s emphasis on structure and moments contrasts with Saintfiet’s adaptive pressing and game management, turning touchline decisions and in-game tweaks and substitutions into decisive weapons as margins tighten in knockout football.
