Mali - Burkina Faso predictions and free betting tips [30/01/2024]

In the 1/8 final of the Africa Cup of Nations, the national teams of Mali and Burkina Faso will face off.

Mali national team

The Mali national team successfully navigated the group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations, ending up in first place in their group without suffering a single defeat. They amassed 5 points sufficient to proceed to the play-offs. In their last group stage match against Namibia, who were the underdogs of the group, Mali couldn't net any goals, ending the match on a scoreless draw, 0:0.

In their opening match of the tournament, Mali confidently beat South Africa 2:0. Despite a balanced game and an unconverted penalty from the opposition in the first half, the Malian team managed to score two goals within 6 minutes of the second half courtesy of Traoré and Sinaïoko. In the second round, Mali played out a 1:1 draw with Tunisia in a match that did not offer much spectacle. Just like the first match, the pair Traoré - Sinaïoko scored, but after the equalling of scores, no more tantalising moments were created.

Standouts in the Mali national team include Boubacar Traoré and Tottenham-supporting midfielder Bissuma, along with several players from the Red Bull Leipzig academy— Haidara, Koïta and Nené. Hamari Traoré of Real Sociedad netted the winning goal in the first match. Mali has displayed an impressive series of outcomes, having not lost any of the past 11 matches, 7 of which ended in victories. In friendly matches, they secured wins against Saudi Arabia and Guinea-Bissau, held the Central African Republic to a draw and triumphed against Chad during the World Cup 2026 qualifier matches. These results highlight the high level of the gameplay organisation of Mali's national team and their ability to achieve success, even without big-name attackers in their line-up.

Burkina Faso national team

The Burkina Faso national team, after a successful start at the Africa Cup of Nations, unexpectedly floundered in their final group stage match against Angola, finishing second in their group. This result was made possible due to the disappointing performance of Team Algeria, who lost to Mauritania in the final round. Against Angola, the Burkinans failed to convert several half-chances and conceded about 5 perilous moments at their end, letting in the first goal from a set-piece and the second following a counter-attack towards the end of the game.

In their match against Algeria, Burkina Faso managed a 2:2 draw, although they had the opportunity to win. Goals were scored by Konate and Traoré, but the Algerians twice managed to equalise, including a goal at the 95th minute. Despite the fact that Algeria dominated the match, creating numerous dangerous moments, Burkina Faso should be content with the draw, considering the gameplay superiority of the adversary. In their first match of the tournament, the team won against Mauritania with a 1:0 scoreline thanks to a successful penalty executed by Bertrand Traoré. The team dominated the second half, controlling the ball and creating numerous goal opportunities.

Over the past 11 years, the Burkina Faso national team has reached the top-4 of the Africa Cup of Nations three times. Players to look out for on the team include Tapsoba from Bayer, Bertrand Traoré from Aston Villa, and Mohamed Konate from Akhmat. However, the midfield line has lost its stars after the departure of Charles Kaboré.

Head-to-head

In head-to-head meetings between Mali and Burkina Faso, the teams last met on 16 January 2021 at the Africa Cup of Nations, where Team Mali won with a 1:0 scoreline. On 7 January 2017, in a friendly match, Burkina Faso managed to overpower Mali, winning 2:1. On 9 October 2015, in another friendly match, Mali demonstrated their superiority, securing a convincing victory with a 4:1 scoreline.

Prediction for the Mali - Burkina Faso match

The teams are approximately equal in terms of squad level, but their past matches have been unsteady—the Malians couldn't net against Namibia while Burkina Faso lost outright to the group leader, Angola. Given the notable names on both sides, I expect a minimum of 2 goals in the match.