Mali: Lightweights Mali Pack a Powerful Punch

Mali have a habit of punching above their weight at the Africa Cup of Nations and there is no reason to doubt they could do so again at the 2013 tournament. The Eagles have been runners-up once, third once and fourth three times in seven appearances , a record many more-established football countries would gladly settle for.

A draw that placed the Malians in Group B with former champions Ghana and the Democratic Republic of Congo and Niger gives the landlocked West African state a good chance of making the quarter-finals.Mali and Ghana clashed twice at the 2012 Cup of Nations in Gabon/Equatorial Guinea with the Eagles losing a group game 2-0 and winning by the same score in the third-place play-off.

...

AllAfrica publishes around 400 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.