Based on what we have seen from these two nations so far, we expect a tight and highly tactical contest, similar to Mali’s match against Tunisia. In that game, Tunisia took a late lead in the 80th minute, only for Mali to equalize deep into stoppage time through a Sinayoko penalty.

The key difference here is that Senegal are more likely to break through Mali’s defensive structure earlier. An early breakthrough would allow Senegal to control the tempo and manage the match more comfortably, without needing to open up excessively.

Mali will also be weakened defensively, as their starting right-back Coulibaly W. is suspended after receiving a red card in the previous match, which could be a decisive factor against Senegal’s pace and width.