The 22 players in the Group A clash of the 2025 African Cup of Nations between Morocco and Mali, at the Prince Moulay Abdallah stadium in Rabat this Friday evening (9 p.m.), are known. As in the opening match against the Comoros, Achraf Hakimi will start on the substitutes’ bench.
Still not recovered from his major sprain suffered on November 4 after a killer tackle from Luis Diaz in the Champions League, the right back of Paris Saint-Germain had not entered the game. It remains to be seen whether Walid Regragui will agree to give him a few minutes this time. “Hakimi is doing well and we will make the best decision for him,” he assured before the meeting at a press conference.
Affected against the Comoros, Romain Saïss is withdrawn and digitally replaced by Jawad El Yamiq. Hero of the first meeting of the Atlas Lions, Ayoub El Kaabi, author of a sublime bicycle, is established in place of Soufiane Rahimi on the front of the attack.
The probable lines of Morocco-Mali at CAN 2025
Morocco : Bounou – Mazraoui, Aguerd, El Yamiq, Salah-Eddine – Ounahi, Amrabat, El Aynaoui – Brahim Diaz, El Kaabi, Saibari.
Mali : Diarra – Colibaly, Diaby, Dieng, Camara, Gassama – Dombia, Bisent, Collibaly, Sangare – Sinayoko.
Mali coach Tom Saintfiet, for his part, chose to start two Ligue 1 players with the presence in the starting lineup of Mamadou Sangaré (Lens) and Lassine Sinayoko (Auxerre). Neo-Lensois Amadou Haïdara and Brestois Kamory Doumbia are on the bench, while Paris FC full-back Hamari Traoré, still injured, is not on the match sheet.
