Mali will face Ivory Coast in the AFCON quarter-finals on 3 February. Here is what bookies think about who's going to win the game and get to the semi-finals (betting odds powered by Yesplay):
Mali – 3.51
Draw – 2.84
Ivory Coast – 2.31
Mali
Mali weren't considered huge favourites before the start of the AFCON. However, many big teams have already been eliminated and the Eagles keep flying.
Their group journey was difficult: Mali had to play against South Africa, Tunisia and Namibia and got on top.
In the playoffs, Mali faced Burkina Faso and confidently won 2-0. Ivory Coast aren't going to be as easy to beat as their last-16 opponents but still, Mali's chances for the semi-finals look a bit better now.
Ivory Coast
The Ivorians' AFCON group stage campaign was disastrous by their usual standards. They were expected to top the group but lost against Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea and grabbed the third place only thanks to beating Guinea-Bissau.
No one believed they could beat Senegal in the last 16 but they did just that, equalising in the 86th minute and taking the game to penalties.
That win was a huge morale boost for Ivory Coast but they should keep their feet on the ground: Mali are really hard to deal with.
Mali vs Ivory Coast: Facts to know
Mali won all five previous quarter-final clashes at the AFCON.
On their way to the quarter-finals, Ivory Coast scored just three goals - this is the fewest in their AFCON history if we take only those tournaments where they had four games or more.
Mali vs Ivory Coast: Prediction and betting tip
Considering what's at stake, this game will be emotional but not too eventful. The opponents are equally strong, hence a draw at full-time is quite likely, while the winner would be defined during extra-time or maybe in a penalty shootout.
Our betting tip: Draw at FT (Yesplay odds – 2.84)
