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Mali and Guinea-Bissau lock horns at the Stade du 26 Mars in Bamako on Saturday for an international friendly as both sides warm up before the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Runners-up of the 1972 edition, Mali have qualified for the 13th time in their history and the ninth time in a row. The Eagles will play Tunisia, South Africa and Namibia in Group E of the competition.
Éric Chelle's side are on a good run of form right now too, going six international games unbeaten, winning five. They won five games in a row until the Central African Republic ended their streak with a 1-1 draw in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
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Mali have called-up 27 players for the friendly and the subsequent AFCON tournament, including RB Leipzig's Amadou Haidara and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, Yves Bissouma.
Guinea-Bissau, having played the last two AFCON tournaments since making their debut in 2017, return to the group stages once again in Ivory Coast this month. They will be seeking to reach the knockout stages for the first time in history.
The Djurtus won four of their seven international games in 2023, including a 1-0 victory over Djibouti in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in November, their last official match. Another victory this Saturday will be the perfect tonic heading into the cup.
Head coach Baciro Candé has named a 24-man squad for the Mali game and the cup, including key attacker Zinho Gano, who has scored four goals in five appearances.
Mali vs Guinea-Bissau Head-To-Head and Key Numbers
- There have been 17 clashes between the sides before, with Mali winning 12 times over Guinea-Bissau and losing just once
- Guinea-Bissau's only ever victory over Mali came in February 1984, as the side won 1-0 in the Amilcar Cabral Cup
- Mali are unbeaten in 14 games to Guinea-Bissau since then, winning their last three
- Mali and Guinea-Bissau meet for the first time since August 2019, when the Eagles won 3-0 in an AFCON qualifier
- Mali are ranked 51st in the world, whereas Guinea-Bissau are 103
Mali vs Guinea-Bissau Prediction
Mali are a good side with quality options in attack who can ruffle Guinea-Bissau's feathers, and we expect them to do exactly that.
Prediction: Mali 3-0 Guinea-Bissau
Mali vs Guinea-Bissau Betting Tips
Tip 1 - Result: Mali
Tip 2 - Goals over/under 2.5: Over 2.5
Tip 3 - Both teams to score: No
