Bamako, Mali – (African Boulevard News) – Mali’s U17 coach Soumaïla Coulibaly has said that his team is not the favourite heading into their quarterfinal duel against Congo in Annaba’s TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Thursday.
Despite finishing second in Group B with six points, Mali has been tipped by many analysts and fans to come out on top against their Congolese opponents. However, Coach Coulibaly has insisted that his side is the underdog in the match, which he expects to be tough.
“We are not favourites,” Coach Coulibaly said in a press conference ahead of the game. “Congo is a good team that has shown its potential in this tournament, and we know they are capable of causing an upset. We will, therefore, approach this game with a lot of respect and caution.”
Coach Coulibaly also revealed that his team has been working on improving their attack ahead of the knockout stages, as they seek to win their first-ever U17 AFCON title.
“We have been working hard on our attack, which has not been as potent as we would have liked in the group stages,” he said. “We know that the knockout stages will be even tougher, and we need to be more clinical in front of goal if we are to progress to the next round.”
The winner of the Mali-Congo clash will face either Nigeria or Cameroon in the semifinals, which will take place on Sunday, March 27.
Meanwhile, both teams are expected to field their strongest starting line-ups in what promises to be an exciting encounter. Congo is unbeaten in the tournament so far, with two wins and one draw, while Mali has won two and lost one of their group games.
Whoever comes out on top in the Mali-Congo game will fancy their chances of lifting the U17 AFCON trophy, which has been won by Nigeria on five previous occasions.
In conclusion, Mali’s coach Soumaïla Coulibaly has said that his team is not the favourite heading into their quarterfinal duel against Congo in Annaba’s TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Thursday. Despite finishing second in Group B with six points, Coach Coulibaly has insisted that his side is the underdog in the match, which he expects to be tough.
