Mali vs Ivory Coast Predictions

• Ivory Coast overcame holders Senegal in the previous round
• Ivory Coast have won two of the last four meetings between these sides, with two draws.
• Ivory Coast have home advantage.

Ivory Coast can end Mali challenge

Ivory Coast and Mali meet in the quarter finals of AFCON on Saturday in what looks a fascinating tie.

The host nation responded to a 4-0 hammering at the hands of Equatorial Guinea by knocking out holders Senegal in the last 16, while Mali remain unbeaten after their 2-1 win over Burkina Faso.

Mali are clearly the form team here but Ivory Coast have a strong squad and home advantage, and that win over Senegal may prove to be the turning point after what had been a poor tournament up until that point.

The host nation made the bold decision to appoint Emerse Faé as caretaker boss after the group stages as they axed Jean-Louis Gasset – and the move looks to have paid off.

Les Éléphants showed real resolve to fight back from a goal down against Senegal to win the tie in difficult circumstances, and they can overcome Mali inside 90 minutes.

Mali perhaps haven’t faced a test as tough as Ivory Coast as yet and they have a poor record against their opponents, with two defeats and no wins in the last four meetings.

Les Aigles have only failed to score in one of their AFCON games and Ivory Coast have just one clean sheet so we could see goals at both ends and this should be a fairly close game so a 2-1 win for Faé’s men is the correct score prediction.

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