On Saturday, the 2nd of February, Mali will go head to head with Ivory Coast in the third match of the AFCON 2023 quarter-finals. For both teams, it’s more of a miracle that they were able to reach the 1/4 round. Mali have surprisingly impressed many Kenyan football fans, as they’ve been unbeaten since the start of the tournament. On the other hand, Ivory Coast disappointed in the group stage and only managed to finish third on the table. They got through as best losers. But in the round of 16, The Elephants put up a good fight to defeat last-time champions. When Mali vs Ivory Coast kicks off on Saturday night, both teams will be looking to make the semi-finals. What are their chances? Well, read on as we analyze and highlight Mali vs Ivory Coast betting tips for Kenya sports fans.
Mali vs Ivory Coast Match Details
General
Details
- Date: 03/02/2024
- Time: 20:00h
- Stadium: Stade Bouaké
- Where to watch: KBC Channel 1, Y254, KBC online platforms
- Ticket info: 1,300 Ksh to 3,900 Ksh
Mali Lineup
(Predicted)
- Diarra, Djigui
- Traore, Hamari
- Kiki
- Niakate, Sikou
- Sacko, Falaye
- Coulibaly , Lassana
- Doumbia, Kamory
- Bissouma, Yves
- Haidara, Amadou
- Sinayoko, Lassine
- Koita, Sekou
Ivory Coast Lineup
(Predicted)
- Fofana, Yahia
- Aurier, Serge
- N Dicka, Evan
- Konan, Ghislain
- Diomande, Ousmane
- Fofana, Seko
- Sangare, Ibrahim
- Kessie, Franck
- Krasso, Jean-Philippe
- Boga, Jeremie
- Diakite, Oumar
Online Sports Bettings in Kenya for this Match
Mali vs Ivory Coast Recent Results & Performances
Going into the AFCON 2023 tournament, Mali was one of the underdogs, while many Kenyans considered Ivory Coast a top contender. Of course, on paper, Mali doesn’t feature a strong squad compared to Ivory Coast or other countries like Algeria, Nigeria, and Egypt. Nevertheless, the roles switched, as The Eagles of Mali put up an outstanding performance match after match.
Notably, the Malian team finished top of the group after matchday three of the group stage, with one win and two draws. The win came against South Africa, while the ties were against Namibia and Tunisia. In the round of 16, The Eagles were paired with Burkina Faso, and they came out with a 2-1 victory. Many football predictions at the start of the tournament underrated the team, but Mali has stayed unbeaten so far.
As the tournament hosts, there’s no argument that the Ivorians will want to lift the trophy on home soil. However, their performance at the group stage convinced fans otherwise. Ivory Coast won their first group stage game against Guinea-Bissau and then lost the two other games against Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea. They ended third in the table and only managed to advance as best losers.
Ivory Coast met Senegal in the round of 16, and betting tips for Kenyan sports fans for the match was that the current champions would make the quarterfinals. But The Elephants shocked the entire continent as they knocked out The Teranga Lions on penalties. The performance rekindled hope in the hearts of fans, and many now believe the hosts can win the Mali vs Ivory Coast fixture and reach the semifinals.
Head-to-Head Historical Analysis
The Eagles of Mali has played a total of eight matches against The Elephants of Ivory Coast, and results largely favor the latter. Ivory Coast has won on five occasions, while Mali has only won once. One fixture ended in a draw.
The last Mali vs Ivory Coast fixture was in the 2019 AFCON round of 16. Ivory Coast won the match by a lone goal, knocking out their opponents. The previous two encounters were in the World Cup qualifying group games, with one match ending in a draw and the other in a 3-1 victory for The Elephants. Mali’s win against the Ivorians was in the 2016 AFCON semi-finals.
It’s clear both teams have notable football history together, especially in the AFCON tournament. We made sure to take note of the differences between both teams in our Mali vs Ivory Coast betting tips for Kenyan sports fans. The upcoming Saturday night fixture is shaping to be just as exciting as the previous encounters.
Key Factors Influencing the Match
Before we get to our Mali vs Ivory Coast football predictions, let’s quickly discuss some key elements in play for the match. Check them out below:
Fans’ Presence
Ivory Coast has had to deal with facing their fans with each match they play in the AFCON. That’s expected since they’re the home team. After their disappointing outing in the group stage, the team is capitalizing on the miracle that got them to the knockouts. The last thing they’ll want to do is to let down their fans again, and they showed it in the round of 16.
The Elephants were able to triumph over last-time champions Senegal thanks to the massive crowd behind them. Come Saturday, Stade Bouaké, where the quarterfinals will be played, will be filled with even more fans putting on the orange jersey. Judging by Mali’s previous games, the country doesn’t have many supporters. When they hit the pitch for the Mali vs Ivory Coast fixture, they may be overwhelmed by the presence of the opposing fans. Hopefully, they’ll keep their cool and play excellent football as they’ve been doing. Otherwise, it’ll be an easy victory for the Ivorians.
Revenge
Mali and Ivory Coast have scores to settle, considering their previous encounters. The teams have met twice in the AFCON knockouts, one defeating the other each time. In 2019, they met in the round of 16, and the Ivorians knocked out the Malians. The Eagles will be looking to avenge their defeat when Mali vs Ivory Coast kicks off on Saturday night.
In 2016, the teams played against each other in the semifinals, and it was Mali who won by a lone goal. The team would later lose 3-0 to DR Congo in the final. One can say The Elephants have avenged their defeat with the 2019 win, but fans have not forgotten the result. At the moment, it’s balanced with one win each for Ivory Coast and Mali in the AFCON knockouts. The team who wins on Saturday gets the edge with the records.
Fatigue
The AFCON round of 16 matches for Ivory Coast and Mali were played on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. Both teams will be meeting in the quarterfinals less than five days later, and there are fatigue concerns. According to football predictions, this will likely affect The Elephants more since the players were on the pitch for over 120 minutes against Senegal.
Betting Tips
If you’re a Kenyan bettor looking for Mali vs Ivory Coast betting tips, you can follow our predictions below:
Betting Odds
We studied odds on Kenya betting sites for the Mali vs Ivory Coast fixture, and here are the averages:
Mali to Win: 3.55 | Draw: 3.10 | Ivory Coast to Win: 2.30
Kenyan bookmakers give the hosts the upper hand over the visitors with lower odds. The odds for a draw are lesser than that of a Mali win, which further highlights a disadvantage for The Eagles. For further confirmation, here are the average odds for direct qualification for both teams:
Mali to qualify: 2.30 | Ivory Coast to qualify: 1.65
The above odds are tighter than the 1×2 market, but there’s still a significant 0.65-odd gap between both teams. Ivory Coast remains the bookies favorite to win the duel.
Final Thoughts on the Match
Our Mali vs Ivory Coast betting tips for Kenya sports fans were put together after detailed research and analysis. We also evaluated the factors that will influence the outcome of the fixture, as discussed earlier. So, you can use our football predictions as a guide while betting. Also check our betting tips page regularly for more information about upcoming football matches.
Oluwafemi Michael, a seasoned iGaming writer with nearly a decade of experience, excels in sports betting and casino content. Known for transforming complex gaming topics into engaging, informative narratives, he skillfully blends industry insights with an accessible style.
His work not only enlightens but also captivates readers, making him a valuable asset for gaming brands seeking to enhance their content strategy and audience engagement. Oluwafemi is the go-to expert for compelling iGaming content.