AFCON
Mali To Test Might Against Born-again Cotê D’Ivoire –
Hosts Côte d’Ivoire will clash with the Eagles of Mali in the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2023 for a place in the last four.
Cotê d’Ivoire made a quick turnaround in their campaign by knocking out defending champions, Senegal in the round of 16 on penalties.
Despite knocking out Senegal, they are winless in their last three games and yet to score from open play in the process.
Cotê d’Ivoire have had some decent and historic results at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake including a 5-0 win over Madagascar in 2008.
Mali will depend heavily on forward Lassine Sinayoko, who has scored three goals in the AFCON Côte d’lvoire 2023.
Emerse Fae’s team have conceded six goals in their last three games, and will have a lot of work to do to stop the silky Malian attack, who have scored 5 goals in the AFCON Côte d’lvoire 2023.
Emerse Fae – Cotê d’Ivoire head coach
After the qualification against Senegal, we were able to take up our colors which was very complicated for us from the very beginning but to be able to win especially when we went to penalties, it was actually touching.
The Malian team is a good. They have good midfielders and we know it will be very tough and from our side, we are tough also.
I am not a magician and I have never been one in any way. I’m also a young coach who knows this group very well. I have been with them for about a year and a half. After the drama we had against Equatorial Guinea, I had lot of confidence in the squad and I was able to give them adequate and appropriate words.
We are going to prepare a team that is going to play against Mali. We will prepare in terms of the quality. We have our strength and what is important is we concentrate on our team.
Yahia Fofana – Côte d’Ivoire player
We are going to approach the game more positively. It is going to be a more difficult game against Mali on Saturday, and we are not going to underestimate them because they are good.
Éric Sékou Chelle
Mali head coach
We are happy to be here. We have had sometime to recover and to also prepare ourselves for this game and this also an eliminating game and is very symbolical for us and we are expecting a lot from this game.
We are going to play against the host country, the country organizing this tournament
There is one thing that is important for me, Cotê d’Ivoire is part of the favorite like I said from the beginning, they are the host country they are the organizers and are more like the favorite.
We are actually working before each game especially the defence and we are progressing everyday. The strikers are also working and it is always about teamwork
We have players who are not here but are always supporting us
This is a high level and we are going to give a good account of ourselves
We are working very hard and we all know what needs to be done, I need to give my players the right mentality. We need to move together and make sure we work in humility.
This game is going to vs an emotional game, it is going to be a match between two brothers and I have my take on the cotê d’Ivoire team as well. There are players in vote divide with connection from Mali so it is going to be an emotional game.
Lassine Sinayoko – Mali player
We are in a good state of mind. We are all in shape, the team is doing well for this game, we are concentrated and focused for this game.
-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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