Morocco Aims for Early AFCON Qualification Against Mali, Riding 18-Game Unbeaten Streak

The Moroccan national team will seek to secure early qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Round of 16 when they face Mali on Friday in Rabat, as part of the second round of Group A matches.

The "Atlas Lions" began their tournament campaign with an important 2-0 victory over Comoros. While the match presented technical challenges, the result secured three valuable points for the national team, placing them in a strong position to clinch their spot in the next round with a second consecutive win, which would also bring them closer to topping the group.

The win against Comoros extended Morocco's impressive unbeaten run to 18 consecutive matches. During this streak, they secured 15 victories in regular time, in addition to a penalty shootout win against Senegal in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) final and an extra-time triumph over Jordan en route to lifting the Arab Cup trophy.

Conversely, the Malian national team enters this encounter under pressure from negative statistics concerning second-round group stage matches. Historical data shows that the "Eagles" have not secured a victory in this round since the 2004 edition, when they defeated Burkina Faso. Since then, they have recorded five draws and four losses across nine consecutive participations.

It is worth noting that the Moroccan national team will face Mali on Friday at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, with kick-off scheduled for 9:00 PM (GMT+1).