AFCON
Quarter-final – Mali v Côte d’Ivoire: Facts & Figures –
Cote d’Ivoire, despite entering the knockout stage as the third-placed qualifiers, have shown resilience to reach the quarter finals of the Africa Cup of Nations despite their shaky start in the competition.
The Elephants face a a big test to their character when they take on the talented Mali side who are keen on making history with their free flowing style of play.
Below are some of the statistics and information on the game:
- This will be the sixth CAF Africa Cup of Nations encounter between Mali and Côte d’Ivoire and the first since meeting in the last 16 in 2019 (1-0 win for Côte d’Ivoire). The Elephants have never lost a CAF Africa Cup Nations match against the Eagles, winning four of their previous five games (D1), while against no other team have they played more often in the competition without losing (also unbeaten in five games against Togo).
- Mali have scored just two goals in their previous five AFCON games against Côte d’Ivoire (conceded nine), against no team that they’ve played more than twice in the competition have they scored fewer goals.
- Mali have progressed from all five of their previous quarter-final appearances at the Africa Cup of Nations, indeed it is the most number of matches any team has played in this round without ever being eliminated.
- Côte d’Ivoire are through to the quarter-finals of AFCON 2023 despite losing two of their last three matches; prior to the 1-0 defeat to Nigeria in their second group game this year, they’d only lost two of their previous 19 games in the competition.
- Côte d’Ivoire have only scored three goals in getting to the quarter-finals of AFCON 2023, the fewest they’ve ever scored in a single edition when playing a minimum of four matches.
- If Côte d’Ivoire were to progress against Mali, the hosts (or co-host) will have reached at least the semi-finals in consecutive AFCON tournaments (after Cameroon finished third in 2021) for the first time since a run of seven tournaments in a row between 1996 and 2008.
- Mali are unbeaten in their last eight AFCON matches since the start of the 2021 edition (W4 D4), conceding just three goals and keeping five clean sheets.
- Côte d’Ivoire have recorded 49 sequences of 10+ passes in open play at the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations (12.3 per match). Over the last five editions, only Cameroon in 2021 (78, 11.1 per match) have made more in a single tournament.
- Côte d’Ivoire have scored from just 5.6% of their shots at AFCON 2023 (3/54), only DR Congo (5.4% 3/56) have lower shot conversion rate among the quarter-finalists, while it’s the worst ratio in a single AFCON edition for Côte d’Ivoire on record (since 2010).
- Lassine Sinayoko has scored three of Mali’s five goals at AFCON 2023 and could become the first Malian to score four goals in a single edition since Freddy Kanoute in 2004 (4).
-CAF
Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe would welcome an investigation into corruption at the organisation, saying they have nothing to hide following a meeting with Senegalese officials in Dakar on Wednesday.
Senegal’s government last month demanded an investigation into corruption after the country was stripped of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title by the CAF Appeal Board, and the trophy was awarded to the final opponents, Morocco.
It follows unruly scenes in the January 18 decider in Rabat that Senegal won 1-0, but during which they left the field for several minutes in protest at a late refereeing decision.
Motsepe met with officials from the Senegalese Football Federation and Senegal president Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Wednesday, where he urged unity following the fallout from the final. He will be in Morocco on Thursday for a similar set of meetings.
“I would welcome any investigation into corruption at CAF, be it by a government or any institution,” Motsepe told reporters. “In fact, I would encourage it. We will give them our full cooperation.
“I have been told there were problems in the past and we intervened. It is not just in football, but in business and politics too. We cannot give our children the perception that if you want to succeed in life, be corrupt. There has to be zero tolerance (for corruption).
“That’s the best gift we can give football in Africa. Not just talking about corruption, but intervene, put the necessary laws in place) and implement them.”
Motsepe would not be drawn on the matter between Senegal and Morocco, which is now before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“There is nothing I can tell you that I haven’t said already 10, 15, 20 times. You can ask me the same question 100 times, I’ll give you the same answer 100 times. I have an obligation to respect that the matter is now in front of the highest (sports) court in the world.”
Motsepe quashed any suggestion that Morocco had been treated favourably in the appeal process.
“Under no circumstances will any single country in Africa be treated more preferentially or more favourably than any other. That will never happen,” he said.
“We are confident we will come out of these challenges more united amongst the 54 nations in Africa.”
-Reuters
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By Kunle Solaja.
Patrice Motsepe has intensified his diplomatic shuttle across African football corridors with a crucial visit to Morocco scheduled for Thursday, as the fallout from the controversial AFCON 2025 Final continues to reverberate across the continent.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed that Motsepe will meet with Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF), alongside other key stakeholders within Morocco’s football ecosystem.
Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF)
The high-level engagement in Rabat comes barely 24 hours after Motsepe’s crisis-management visit to Senegal, underlining CAF’s urgency in addressing the tensions and conflicting reports that have trailed the AFCON final.
Thursday’s meeting is expected to focus on fact-finding, reconciliation, and institutional alignment following the chaotic circumstances that marred the tournament’s climax. The Moroccan FA has been central to the unfolding controversy, with administrative and refereeing decisions from the final still under scrutiny.
CAF disclosed that the visit will conclude with a press conference in Rabat at 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT), where Motsepe is expected to address the media and possibly provide updates on CAF’s ongoing review of the final.
While details of the agenda remain closely guarded, the visit signals a continuation of Motsepe’s hands-on approach to crisis resolution, engaging directly with national federations in a bid to preserve the integrity of African football competitions.
CAF and the FRMF have indicated that further details regarding the outcomes of the visit will be communicated in due course, as stakeholders across the continent await clarity on one of the most contentious finals in recent AFCON history.
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CAF President Patrice Motsepe is set to visit Senegal on Wednesday for high-level talks with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and the leadership of the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football, in what is widely seen as a crucial diplomatic move amid lingering controversy over the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Final.
The visit comes against the backdrop of the chaotic and disputed AFCON 2025 final in Rabat, a match marred by heavy rainfall, administrative confusion, and conflicting official reports from within CAF and its committees.
The uncertainty surrounding the outcome of that final has cast a shadow over African football governance, prompting urgent calls for clarity and institutional accountability.
Sources indicate that Motsepe’s meeting with President Faye will extend beyond routine courtesy, touching on broader issues of football governance, tournament integrity, and the role of national associations in safeguarding the credibility of continental competitions.
Senegal, a major stakeholder in African football and one of the continent’s most influential football nations, is expected to play a key role in shaping the narrative going forward.
Motsepe will also hold discussions with Abdoulaye Fall, focusing on collaboration between CAF and its member associations, as well as mechanisms to prevent a recurrence of the controversies that plagued the AFCON final.
While CAF has yet to officially outline the agenda, observers believe the visit signals an attempt by the continental body to consolidate support among key football nations and manage the fallout from the final’s unresolved issues.
The optics of engaging directly with political leadership further underline the seriousness of the situation.
CAF and the Senegalese Football Federation have both stated that more details regarding the visit will be released in due course, leaving stakeholders across the continent watching closely for signals on how African football’s governing body intends to restore confidence in its competitions.
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