Zambia and Mali will both be keen to set the right tone in Group A when they lock horns at the Stade Mohamed V in Casablanca on Monday afternoon, with kickoff set for 1pm local time (3pm EAT).
The encounter comes just a day after tournament hosts Morocco launched their Africa Cup of Nations 2025 campaign with a 2–0 victory over Comoros, and victory here would hand either side a valuable early boost in the race for a knockout stage berth.
History offers an interesting subplot. The fixture revives memories of the 1994 AFCON meeting where Zambia ran riot with a 4–0 win over Mali, a result that still stands as the Chipolopolo’s biggest victory at the tournament and Mali’s heaviest defeat in AFCON history.
Mali arrive with a few question marks but plenty of quality. Head coach Tom Saintfiet is awaiting a medical update on influential midfielder Yves Bissouma, whose availability remains uncertain. Should Bissouma be ruled out, Aliou Dieng is expected to step in and anchor the midfield.
Up front, the Eagles will look to Nene Dorgeles and El Bilal Touré to provide the cutting edge, while Young Africans shot-stopper Djigui Diarra is set to marshal the defence from the back.
Zambia, meanwhile, will place their attacking hopes on the shoulders of Leicester City striker Patson Daka, whose pace and movement will be key, alongside the lively Fashion Sakala. The Chipolopolo know that a positive start could define their group campaign.
Elsewhere on Monday, Group B action gets underway as South Africa take on Angola earlier in the day, before Zimbabwe and seven-time champions Egypt square off in the evening fixture.
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