"Senegal, winners of the Afcon in 2022, have arguably the best collection of players, including the experience of Sadio Mane and the explosive talent of Nicolas Jackson, and are superior to their east African opponents. But Sudan, who qualified for the tournament despite the tragedy of a horrendous war in their country, certainly match the Lions of Teranga in fortitude."
"Sudan, coached by the Ghanaian Kwesi Appiah, who led his home country at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, played all their qualifiers away from home, with the war, which began in April 2023, shutting down a thriving domestic league. The Sudan striker John Mano told the BBC: Some of them [people in Sudan] cannot watch the matches They can't even listen on the radio We are trying to free our country, through the football way."
"This is going to be one of the tastier games of the round, with Mali, coached by the Belgian Tom Saintfiet, having the depth of talent and presence of character to beat a Tunisian side who showed only glimpses of their potential in a dramatic 3-2 group defeat by Nigeria. Mali's free-flowing football, attractive to the eye, is an ever-present danger to their opponents, and their players include Tottenham's Yves Bissouma and the Auxerre striker Lassine Sinayoko, who leads the forward line."
Senegal, 2022 Afcon champions, possess a powerful squad featuring experienced Sadio Mane and explosive Nicolas Jackson, giving them clear on-paper superiority. Sudan qualified despite a horrendous war that began in April 2023, which shut down the domestic league; they played all qualifiers away and display notable fortitude. Striker John Mano said many people in Sudan cannot watch or listen to matches and that the team seeks to free the country through football. Mali under Tom Saintfiet offers free-flowing, dangerous football with players like Yves Bissouma and Lassine Sinayoko. Tunisia retain balance but have underperformed, while Morocco remain strong hosts.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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