Mali coach Badara Alou Diallo has highlighted what his players must avoid when they come up against Morocco in the semi-finals of the 2023 Caf U23 Africa Cup of Nations tournament on Tuesday.

The two sides will face off at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium and ahead of the fixture, coach Diallo has stressed the intricacies of playing against a host team, highlighting the importance of composure and concentration.

“These are two teams accustomed to facing each other. The key to success in this match will be maintaining focus throughout. We must avoid the mistakes we have been prone to making, and the mental approach will be of utmost importance,” Diallo said as quoted by CafOnline.

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While Mali lost all three of their matches in the same competition back in 2019, this time they have made a statement by winning two matches and suffering one defeat in the group stage. They kicked off their campaign with an impressive 3-1 victory against Gabon, followed by a narrow 1-0 loss to defending champions Egypt, and concluded with a convincing 2-0 triumph over Niger.

Mali midfielder Mamadou Sangare said: “We have a great deal of respect for Morocco. However, they also possess vulnerabilities that we have analyzed and aim to exploit.”

Striker Chickna Doumbia, who has already netted two goals in the group stages, will be expected to lead Mali’s charge alongside inspirational captain Boubacar Traore.