Mali vs Senegal Predictions

• Senegal have not lost inside 90 minutes in their last 15 Africa Cup of Nations matches.
• Mali have not won any of their last ten meetings with Senegal.
• Both teams have scored in just two of Senegal’s last eight games.

Mali riding their luck to reach last eight

It is fair to say that Mali have not been particularly adventurous at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations, but they have reached the last eight courtesy of a surprise penalties success over Tunisia after three straight group-stage draws.

They had already been reduced to ten men before an injury-time equaliser took their last-16 clash into extra-time, but their luck could be about to run out when they face one of the big guns in the race for the continental crown.

Mali have failed to win any of their last ten matches against Senegal and with their opponents boasting one of the strongest squads in the tournament, this could be where the Eagles’ dream dies.

Senegal’s class is likely to tell

While all but one of Mali’s last 11 games have featured fewer than three goals, Senegal are much more freescoring and have netted ten times in their four matches in Morocco.

Their latest success was a 3-1 win over Sudan in which Villarreal’s Papa Gueye scored twice and they should have enough to come out on top of this one.

With clean sheets having already been attained in group matches against Botswana and Benin and the defence boosted by Kalidou Koulibaly’s return from suspension, the Lions of Teranga can win without conceding with a 2-0 success of potential interest to correct-score punters.