- Monday July 8, 2019
- Suez stadium, Suez 6pm (7pm EAT)
The Eagles of Mali take on the Ivorian Elephants in a highly anticipate round of 16 clash at the Suez stadium with either eager to maintain their stay in the Afcon.
Ivory Coast reached the stage after two wins in three Group C matches while Mali topped Group E with seven points ahead of much fancied Tunisia who are in action today against Ghana.
Ibrahima Kamara, the Les Elephants coach has urged his charges to approach the game with a fighting spirit and killer instinct.
“We will approach this match with a fighting spirit,” he told the press. “The boys are motivated and know that there is no rest in such a competition,” he added.
“We have prepared for all possibilities that may occur especially since it is a knockout match. Mali is a good team so let’s not say Cote d’Ivoire are favorites.
His opposite number in the dugout Mohamed Magassoubawants his side to continue adventuring in the tournament and says they are well prepared to play until the end.
“It’s a football game for which we are convinced to continue the adventure,” he told a pre-match press conference. “We said well before the competition that we have prepared for this AFCON and we will play it to the end,” he added.
“We always tell our players that the matches follow each other and are not alike. As for the invincibility of Côte d’Ivoire against Mali, we say that it is history and it belongs to historians. Our strength is ourselves and every generation must build its own story.
Cote d’Ivoire have won three of the past four Afcon meetings losing none.
