Mali Ready to Strike Tunisian Blues: Saintfiet’s Confidence After Morocco Test
2 January 2026
Preview of Mali vs Tunisia
Saintfiet, the Belgian coach of the Mali national team, acknowledged the challenge ahead against Tunisia, tomorrow’s Round of 16 in AFCON 2025.
He said Tunisia can win the cup; we watched them in November against Jordan and tracked their latest match against Tanzania. To me, Tunisia is a very strong side, well organized, with experienced players.
It will be a tough game, but we proved against Morocco that we can compete. We did not win that game (it ended 1-1), which was disappointing; now everyone knows we need a win. We have 90 or 120 minutes, and even penalties if needed. But we will score; we have worked hard in recent days on the areas to improve.
Ready for the challenge
We will face one of Africa's strongest teams, but I believe we’re ready for the challenge.
Punchline: Saintfiet’s confidence is sharp enough to slice through a defense—careful where you stand. Punchline: Mali’s plan is simple—press, score, repeat, with extra snacks for the coach’s pep talks.
