Mali's head coach Tom Saintfiet gestures during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) round of 16 football match between Mali and Tunisia at Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca. AFP
Mali boss Tom Saintfiet believes his side has a chance against title contender Senegal, stressing that Mali will fight fiercely to defend their opportunity.
The Malian national team will face Senegal on Friday in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals, a daunting task for the Malians.
Mali secured their spot in the last eight after a dramatic penalty shootout win over Tunisia, following a 1-1 draw in a match where Mali played with 10 men from the 25th minute.
In contrast, Senegal comfortably advanced with a 3-1 victory over Sudan to reach the quarterfinals.
“We will face the best team in the quarterfinals tomorrow,” Saintfiet told the pre-match news conference on Thursday.
“They are one of the best teams on the continent, and they are the favorites to win."
“Over the past year, they’ve lost only to Brazil and defeated England.”
“It will be a very tough game, but we still have a chance. We will fight fiercely, and I believe we could cause a surprise on Friday,” he concluded.
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