Bamako, Mali – (African Boulevard News) – Mali’s head coach Soumaila Coulibaly has revealed that he has no regrets for rotating his squad in their third-place play-off 2-1 defeat to Burkina Faso at the TotalEnergies U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2023.
Coulibaly made a total of eight changes to his squad, which had successfully progressed from the group stages and quarter-finals before losing a closely contested semi-final to Cameroon.
Despite his team’s defeat in the third-place play-off, Coulibaly held no regrets for his team selection. In his post-match interview, he stated, “I have no regrets about rotating my squad because I had confidence in all of my players. We wanted to give everyone an opportunity to play, and they all did their best.”
Mali began the match on the front foot, but Burkina Faso responded with two quick goals within the first 20 minutes, which left the Eagles chasing the game for the remainder of the match. Despite pulling a goal back, they could not find the equalizer to force the game into extra time.
Coulibaly’s squad selection and the defeat in the third place play-off have raised eyebrows from football pundits and fans alike, as Mali was considered to be one of the favorites to win the tournament.
Despite the result, Coulibaly’s decision to rotate the squad was a strategic move to give his squad valuable playing time. He also wanted to ensure that the players would be able to perform in bigger matches at a later stage of their careers.
The TotalEnergies U-17 Africa Cup of Nations is a breeding ground for young talent, and Coulibaly made it clear that he had the bigger picture in mind, “We came to this tournament to showcase our young talent, and I am proud of what we have achieved. We have shown that we are capable of competing at the highest level.”
Mali’s performance at the TotalEnergies U-17 Africa Cup of Nations was a bright spot for the country and a testament to the youth development programs that are being put in place. The future looks bright for the Eagles, and Coach Coulibaly’s decision to rotate his squad will surely reap dividends in the years to come.
