Africa: Cusin Positive Ahead of Mali Clash Despite Star-Studded Eagles Side

18 March 2025
Confederation of African Football (Giza)

Recently appointed Comoros head coach, Stefano Cusin is wary of the danger posed by a quality Mali side ahead of their FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Eagles on Friday.

Comoros, who impressively booked their place in the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 will be hoping to do the same for the global showpiece as they prepare for Match Day 5 and 6 of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The islanders face Mali on Thursday before taking on Central African Republic on Monday, 24 March.

Despite being drawn against some of the best African football nations including Ghana and Mali, Comoros top the Group I with three wins and one loss from four matches so far and will be looking at possibly adding to their tally of points against their more fancied opponents on Thursday.

Speaking ahead of the crucial encounter against Mali, Cusin said they are facing one of the most talented and experienced teams on the continent, but maintains his belief that anything is possible in football.

"Mali is a team I know very well because I've already faced them when I coached South Sudan. It's a very experienced team. It's a nation that has a lot of players playing in the Bundesliga, La Liga, and the Premier League so it's a very competitive team. In fact, in the last AFCON, they reached the quarterfinals against Cote d'Ivoire. I think if Mali had beaten them, they would have been a candidate for the final" said Cusin.

"It's a team full of quality with an experienced coach, a team that is very confident. 50th in the FIFA rankings--the FIFA ranking is still important because it serves as a benchmark. It's as if Mali were to face Argentina or France--the difference is there. But, you know, in football, what matters is motivation. So, we need to study the opponent well, understand their qualities, understand what they want to do to score goals, and understand how to put them in danger. It won't be easy, but in any case, I have confidence in our players, and I know they will give everything. So, we always need to stay positive. We must always believe that everything is possible", concluded the coach.

Heading up the Comoros national team marks Cusin's return to African football, having coached the U-20 Cameroonian national team. He is also the former Technical Director of the Congolese Football Federation.

Read the original article on CAF.

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