Match Overview
Guinea-Bissau will host Mali in the second leg of their October double-header as part of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. After securing a victory in their previous encounter, Mali aims to extend their winning streak against Guinea-Bissau to five matches.
Match Preview
Guinea-Bissau suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Mali in their recent meeting in Bamako, marking their second consecutive loss in the AFCON qualifiers. Stuttgart striker El Bilal Toure broke the deadlock in the 62nd minute, securing the victory for Mali after a scoreless first half.
Before this setback, Guinea-Bissau had started their qualifying campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Eswatini, courtesy of a goal from Bura Nogueira. However, they followed this up with a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Mozambique. Under the management of Luis Boa Morte, Guinea-Bissau has struggled throughout the year, claiming only one win in ten matches across all competitions, including a disheartening early exit from the 2023 AFCON group stages after three consecutive losses.
Despite these struggles, Guinea-Bissau is currently positioned second in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying group, four points behind leaders Egypt. However, they have a daunting task ahead, as they have lost their last four encounters against Mali and are winless in their last 15 meetings (12 losses and 3 draws) since a 1-0 victory in February 1984.
Mali, on the other hand, remains unbeaten in the 2025 AFCON qualifying campaign, with their last match marking an important victory. After a disappointing 1-1 draw against Mozambique in their opener, Mali has bounced back with a win over Eswatini and now seeks to build on their success. The team is in excellent form, having lost only one of their last seven matches across all competitions, with their defense showcasing strength by keeping five clean sheets in that span.
With seven points from their first nine available, Mali sits at the top of Group I, two points ahead of Mozambique.
Team News
Guinea-Bissau’s Everton striker Beto made his debut on Friday and is expected to continue in the attack alongside Mama Balde. The defensive lineup should feature Fali Cande, Sambinha, Ора Sangante, and Jefferson Encada, while Alfa Semedo, Janio Bikel, Zidane Banjaqui, and Nogueira will likely form the midfield.
For Mali, Toure, who scored the winning goal in the previous match, is set to lead the attack again, supported by Yves Bissouma and Moussa Djenepo. The midfield will include Aliou Dieng and Mohamed Camara, while the back three of Salim Diakite, Abdoulaye Diaby, and Mamadou Fofana, with Djigui Diarra in goal, is expected to remain unchanged.
Possible Lineups
Guinea-Bissau:
– Formation: 4-2-3-1
– Starting XI: Embadje; Cande, Sambinha, Sangante, Encada; Semedo, Bikel, Banjaqui, Nogueira; Beto, Balde
Mali:
– Formation: 3-4-3
– Starting XI: Diarra; Diakite, Diaby, Fofana; Sinayoko, Dieng, Camara, Doucoure; Bissouma, Djenepo, Toure
Given their recent performance and current form, Mali enters this match as the favorites. With a solid defense and a potent attack, Les Aigles are expected to capitalize on their momentum and extend their dominance over Guinea-Bissau.
