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The focus tonight turns to Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, where the Moroccan national team will face its Malian counterpart starting at 9 PM, as part of the second round of Group A in the Africa Cup of Nations. This match carries special significance, pitting Moroccan ambition for an early resolution against Mali’s desire to break the curse of the second match.
History clearly favors the “Atlas Lions,” as the only previous meeting between the two teams in the Africa Cup of Nations dates back to the 2004 semifinal, when Morocco defeated Mali 4-0, marking a highlight of that campaign.
In terms of recent statistics, the Moroccan team continues to deliver consistent performances in the group stage, having avoided defeat in their second match in four of their last five continental appearances (3 wins and 2 draws) since losing to Gabon in the 2012 edition. Their first-round victory over Comoros (2-0) puts Morocco in a historic position to achieve back-to-back wins at the tournament’s start for the fourth time in their history, and the third time in the last four editions.
Defensively, the numbers are impressive. Morocco has kept a clean sheet in 9 of its last 11 group-stage matches, conceding only three goals, reflecting a clear solidity that could lead to another clean sheet, as seen in the 2019 and 2021 editions.
In contrast, the Malian team enters the match with less convincing numbers specifically in the second match. While they have never lost an opening match in 14 appearances at the Africa Cup of Nations, they have managed to win their second match only once in 13 participations, which was back in 2004 against Burkina Faso (3-1). They have not secured a victory in their last nine second matches, with five draws and four losses.
When facing host nations, Mali tends to draw, as three of their five matches have ended in a tie, with one win and one loss, the most notable being their victory over Tunisia in 1994 and their defeat to Ivory Coast in the 2023 edition.
On an individual level, Lassine Sinayoko stands out as one of the most threatening players for Mali. He has scored four goals in his last six matches at the Africa Cup of Nations, leading in shots and touches inside the penalty area during Mali’s 1-1 draw with Zambia in the first round, alongside contributing to creating opportunities, making him an offensive asset to watch.
All these factors make the Rabat clash a real test between a team seeking to confirm its dominance and secure early qualification, and another aiming to rewrite the narrative of statistics and break the second-match curse. The match promises much excitement both on and off the pitch.
