Mali coach Badra Alou Diallo believes his players are well prepared to face Morocco in the semi-finals of the 2023 Caf U23 Africa Cup of Nations tournament on Tuesday.
The West African side qualified for the last four after winning two matches and losing one. They kicked off their campaign with a 3-1 victory against Gabon, suffered a 1-0 defeat against the defending champions Egypt before defeating Niger 2-0 to seal their place in the semis.
Meanwhile, Morocco won all their group stage matches, a 2-1 victory against Guinea in the opener, a 5-1 thrashing of Ghana in the second game, and a 1-0 victory against Congo. Ahead of their semis clash at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium on Tuesday, Diallo has insisted his players will not fear Morocco.
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“We fear nothing. Even before the match, we had mentally prepared ourselves to face Morocco in the event of qualification. My players are eagerly looking forward to stepping onto the pitch and engaging in this game,” Diallo said as quoted by CafOnline.
He added: “Despite facing challenges from the Niger team in the first half, our boys remained focused throughout the game. During halftime, I specifically spoke to our attackers, urging them not to be discouraged and to maintain composure.”
The other semis clash will see Egypt take on Guinea at Grand Stade de Tanger on Tuesday.