January 29 – Mali manager Tom Saintfiet believes his team can go all the way at the Africa Cup of Nations following a favourable group stage draw.
Les Aigles will face hosts Morocco, Zambia and Comoros in Group A and Saintfiet thinks Mali can eclipse the quarter-final result of the previous finals.
“Our ambition is to stay as long as possible in the tournament,” Saintfiet told Insideworldfootball. “We want to play seven matches, which means the semi-finals and the final or third-place playoff. That’s our ambition and this draw gives us options. I see a lot of opportunities.”
Mali played in the final of the 1972 Africa Cup of Nations, but they have never won the tournament. They reached the last four in 1994, 2002, 2004 and finished third in 2012 and 2013.
“Before the draw, I was often asked if I had a preference or if I wanted to avoid certain teams – I have always said that we are ready to face anyone,” explained Saintfiet. “There are no easy opponents at the Africa Cup of Nations. We want to go far, so you can’t be afraid of anyone.”
The Belgian manager arrived in Bamako from The Philippines, but he rose to acclaim with The Gambia when he guided the West African country to the last eight at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. He could not repeat the feat at the 2023 finals, but Saintfiet, alongside Equatorial Guinea’s Juan Micha, will be just one of two managers to coach in three consecutive finals.
“It doesn’t happen that often and that experience of course helps you to prepare yourself,” says Saintfiet.
“You know a bit how the tournament goes. You know the opponents, you know the tensions and you can also calculate a bit what you need to progress and which permutations work best.”
Saintfiet is seeking to qualify with Mali for the World Cup. In Group I, Mali are in fourth on five points, well behind group leaders Comoros and runners-up Ghana, who both have nine points. The group winners clinch a direct ticket to the 2026 tournament while the runners-up could qualify for the playoffs.
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