In a critical Group A match at Casablanca’s Mohammed V Stadium on Monday during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, Comoros will play Mali, with both teams still hoping to qualify for the knockout stage.
Should the Coelacanths win, their qualification hopes remain, based on Morocco versus Zambia; a Mali win secures their spot.
The match sees Comoros aiming for its first goal, needing a win.
Coelacanths’ campaign started with a 2-0 loss to Morocco on December 21, then a 0-0 draw against Zambia on December 26.
This is Comoros’ second appearance in the Africa Cup of Nations in 2025, after their first in 2021, when they reached the round of 16 and beat Ghana in the group stage.
They qualified for the tournament by winning their group, a feat that underscored their rise despite their inexperience.
Stefano Cusin’s Comoros team focuses on structure and compactness, especially versus stronger teams. Their defensive style was evident in the Zambia draw, yet the goal drought is concerning: they haven’t scored in four matches and have conceded eight goals.
Comoros’ only competitive losses against Mali came in the 2025 CAF World Cup qualifiers.
Comoros has won once, drawn once, and lost four times in their last six matches, scoring seven goals and conceding 14, and after failing to score in their first two tournament matches this year, they must improve their attacking if they want to change the outcome in their final group game.
Mali are unbeaten in Group A, vying for a knockout spot after drawing their first two games, starting with a 1-1 draw against Zambia, where Sinayoko scored, followed by an equalizer.
Four days on, they drew 1-1 in Rabat with Morocco; Sinayoko scored another penalty.
The Eagles have consistently participated in AFCON and brought a strong record to the 2025 tournament; their tactical skill was evident in the match against Morocco, ending the hosts’ winning streak and showcasing Mali’s resilience.
In their recent competitive matches, Tom Saintfiet’s team also won twice, 3–0, against Comoros in the 2025 World Cup qualifiers, with clean sheets in both games, scoring six goals total; this provides historical context for their AFCON meeting and represents their only competitive games.
Mali’s defense has been strong this year, allowing only four goals in their last six games, including two in AFCON.
In terms of attack, their qualifying matches showed more sharpness, notably versus Comoros, even though goals are scarce now.
Having won twice, drawn three times, and lost once in their last six matches, scoring eight goals, the West African nation is well-placed for the final Group A fixtures and still has a chance to advance.
