Tunisia looked like one of the eye-catching qualifiers over the past couple of years, and they will be looking to continue that strong form on matchday one in Group F. It could come down between these two nations for the top spot in the group.
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Matchday one on Group F could be the most important, as both Tunisia and Mali have outstanding chances of finishing as the group winners. Both have hopes of going far in the Africa Cup of Nations this year, but finishing top of the group could give them the best chance of achieving that target.
Tunisia were one of the best qualifiers for the main competition, as they finished top of qualifying Group J. They didn’t drop to a single defeat in the six games that they played, and scored an incredible 14 goals. Defensively they were also very strong, as they conceded just five times in the games that they played against Equatorial Guinea, Tanzania and Libya.
Tunisia won five of the six qualifiers that they played, and also picked up a win in their last game in World Cup qualification against Zambia, winning 3-1 at home. They will be looking to win the Africa Cup of Nations for the second time in their history.
Mali present a difficult challenge on opening night for Tunisia, as they finished top of their qualifying group. They dropped to just one defeat in the six games that they played, scoring ten goals and conceding just four times.
Both dropped results came in fixtures against Guinea. However, their recent form has been exceptionally strong, as they have won their last three international fixtures without conceding a goal. Their most recent victory came at home against Uganda.
Tunisia vs Mali Head to Head
The overall record between these nations is very close, as Mali have won on four occasions, while Tunisia have picked up six wins. Mali haven’t beaten Tunisia since an African Nations Championship fixture in January 2016. The last meeting between the sides came in June of last year, with Tunisia winning the friendly 1-0.
Tunisia vs Mali Prediction
Both nations will be hoping to go far in the competition this year. That could make for a pretty uneventful opening night match-up between the two, as neither will want to lose the game. Therefore, a 0-0 draw could be the best bet.
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