Mali coach Morlaye Cisse has stressed the importance of mental strength and focus when they face Guinea in the playoff fixture of the 2023 Caf U23 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco on Friday.

The fixture at the Ibn Batouta Stadium in Tangier will decide which team between Mali and Guinea secures the third slot for the African continent at the Paris Olympics 2024 and according to Cisse, determination will be the key factor in securing victory.

“Both teams are gifted and play the same style of football, but the team with better mental strength will win,” Cisse told the media ahead of the game as quoted by Cafonline, adding: “We need to be very technical, athletic, and focused to achieve our ultimate goal of Olympic qualification.”

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Guinea midfielder Aguibou Camara, who accompanied Cisse to the press conference, said: “It will be a complicated match, but our goal is to qualify for the Olympics, which requires hard work, adding: “The semi-final defeat has served as a catalyst for the team to work harder and strive for victory in the play-off.”

In the final, Egypt will be keen to defend their title when they face hosts Morocco at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium on Saturday.