HIBAPRESS – Sports
Belgian coach Tom Saintfiet, coach of the Mali national team, confirmed that the match against Morocco on Friday, as part of the second round of the 2025 African Cup of Nations, will be difficult and complex, stressing his team's ambition to achieve a positive result and compensate for the draw in the first match against Zambia.
Saintfiet pointed out in the press conference before the match that the Moroccan national team is one of the most prominent candidates to win the title, confirming: "Morocco is one of the best teams in the world across all categories, and Moroccan football is excellent," reviewing its recent achievements from winning the African Nations Championship to reaching fourth place in the World Cup, in addition to the continuity in positive results. The Belgian coach explained that playing against Morocco will be different because of the large audience presence that increases the pressure on the home side, but in return he praised the strength and capabilities of the Malian national team’s attacking, and said: “We are an attacking team and we provide good levels, and I have no doubt about the abilities of our players. Our goal is to steal the points and come back strongly in the qualifying race.” Regarding the match against Zambia, Saintfiet acknowledged the players’ disappointment due to the weak offensive effectiveness, but he considered that this enhances the desire to compensate against Morocco, stressing that the players are required to be "good ambassadors for Malian football" and present an honorable image during the tournament.
