MATCH STATS: Mali vs Zambia – TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Group A

Mali and Zambia will meet at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations for the second time when they open their Group A campaign at Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca on Monday. Kick-off is at 15h00 local time (14h00 GMT).

Their only previous meeting at the AFCON finals came in the semi-finals of the 1994 tournament on 6 April 1994 at Stade El Menzah in Tunis, Tunisia, over 31 years ago. Zambia claimed a comprehensive 4-0 victory, with goals from Elihah Litana (8’), Zeddy Saileti (30’), Kalusha Bwalya (47’) and Kenneth Malitoli (73’).

That defeat remains Mali’s joint-heaviest loss at an AFCON finals, alongside a 4-0 semi-final defeat to Morocco in 2004. Zambia’s win in 1994 also stands as their joint-biggest victory at the finals.

Overall, the two teams have met six times, with Zambia winning twice, Mali once, and three matches ending in draws.

Their most recent encounter was a friendly on 23 September 2022 in Bamako, which Mali won 1-0 thanks to an early goal from El Bilal Touré in the 6th minute.

Four of their meetings have been competitive fixtures: once at the AFCON, twice in FIFA World Cup qualifying, and once at the 2016 TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship. Zambia remain unbeaten in those matches, recording two wins and two draws.

For both nations, this will be their first AFCON appearance in Morocco as hosts, with neither featuring when the Moroccans hosted the tournament in 1988.

Head-to-Head Overall

Played: 6
Mali: W1 D3 L2 GF4 GA8
Zambia: W2 D3 L1 GF8 GA4

Head-to-Head at AFCON

Played: 1
Mali: W0 D0 L1 GF 0 GA 4
Zambia: W1 D0 L0 GF 4 GA 0

Past AFCON Meeting
1994 AFCON, Semi-final, 6 April 1994
Zambia 4 (Litana 8’, Saileti 30’, K. Bwalya 47’, Malitoli 73’) Mali 0
Stade El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisia

Mali – Key Statistics

·       Making their 15th appearance at the AFCON finals

·       First qualified in 1972, with their next appearance coming in 1994

·       Twelve of their AFCON appearances have come since 2002

·       Missed only one of the last 13 tournaments (Egypt 2006)

·       Runners-up in their debut tournament in 1972

·       Finished fourth in 1994, 2002 and 2004

·       Finished third in successive tournaments in 2012 and 2013

·       This is their 10th successive AFCON finals appearance

·       Fourth AFCON hosted in North Africa: fourth in 1994, third in 2004, Round of 16 exit in 2019

·       Have progressed beyond the group stage in each of their last three tournaments

·       Quarter-finalists at the most recent edition in Côte d’Ivoire

·       Playing their 60th AFCON finals match (W21 D21 L17)

·       Coach Tom Saintfiet is appearing at his third AFCON, having led Gambia in 2021 and 2023

·       Saintfiet guided Gambia to the Round of 16 in 2021

·       His Gambia side lost all three matches at the last edition

·       Saintfiet’s AFCON coaching record: P8 W3 D1 L4

·       Mali have never lost their opening AFCON match (P13 W8 D5)

·       Have won their opening game at the last three editions

·       Biggest opening-match win: 4-1 vs Mauritania (2019)

·       Only team to recover from a four-goal deficit at AFCON (vs Angola, 2010)

·       On a 10-match unbeaten run in AFCON group games

·       Last group-stage defeat: 1-0 vs Ghana (2017)

·       Dorgeles Nene was top scorer in qualifying with three goals

·       Conceded only one goal in six qualifiers, keeping five clean sheets

 

Zambia – Key Statistics

·       AFCON champions in 2012; runners-up in 1974 and 1994

·       Most successful Southern African nation at AFCON by appearances and matches played

·       This will be their 70th AFCON finals match and 19th tournament appearance

·       Finished runners-up at their debut tournament in 1974

·       Qualified for back-to-back tournaments for the first time since 2006–2015

·       Eliminated in the group stage at their last three appearances

·       Last progressed beyond the group stage in 2012 when they won the title

·       Winless in their last 10 AFCON finals matches (D8 L2)

·       Last open-play win came in the 2012 semi-final vs Ghana

·       On a nine-match winless run in AFCON group games

·       Strong history in North African-hosted tournaments

·       Moses Sichone replaced Avram Grant as head coach

·       Opening-game AFCON record: P18 W5 D8 L5

·       Unbeaten in their opening match at the last six tournaments

·       Failed to win their opening game at their last three appearances

·       Last opening-game win: 2-1 vs Senegal (2012)

·       Finished top of qualifying Group G ahead of Côte d’Ivoire

·       Used 29 players in qualifying

·       Kennedy Musonda Jr was top scorer with four goals