September 07, (THEWILL) – Mali drew 1-1 with Mozambique in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying opener at the Stade du 26 Mars on Friday, September 6. The home team had to fight back after falling behind in the first half.
Mozambique took the lead in the 37th minute when Geny Catamo scored from Bruno Langa’s cross. Mali created chances before halftime but failed to equalise.
The Eagles levelled the score early in the second half. Yves Bissouma found the net in the 52nd minute, assisted by Fode Doucoure. This marked Tom Saintfiet’s first match as Mali’s head coach following his appointment the previous week.
Mali pushed for a winning goal in the latter stages. Mozambique goalkeeper Ernan Siluane made a crucial save in the 80th minute. The home side had another opportunity in the 88th minute, but the shot went wide.
The match ended in a draw, giving Mozambique a valuable away point in their AFCON qualifying campaign. Both teams will look to build on this result in their upcoming matches.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
