- Title: MALI: FOOBALL / SOCCER - AFCON squad bank on having youth on their side
- Date: 4th January 2013
- Summary: BAMAKO, MALI (RECENT) (REUTERS) SOCCER MONUMENT IN CENTRAL BAMAKO MAN SEATING NEXT TO SOCCER MONUMENT VARIOUS OF HEADQUARTERS OF MALIAN FOOTBALL FEDERATION MOUSSA KONOTE, VICE PRESIDENT, MALI FOOTBALL FEDERATION TALKING ON PHONE (SOUNDBITE) (French) VICE PRESIDENT MALI FOOTBALL FEDERATION, MOUSSA KONATE, SAYING: "Regarding the preparation of the national team we have planned a re-union in Bamako on 5th... a friendly match and then 9th in Port Elizabeth. We will start preparing 10 days before the first match at AFCON which begins January 19." MONUMENT OF HIPPO AT THE DJOLIBA FOOTBALL CLUB PLAYGROUND YOUTHS WATCHING A SOCCER GAME VARIOUS OF SOCCER MATCH IN PROGRESS MORE YOUTHS WATCHING THE MATCH FORMER MALIAN CAPTAIN, SADIA CISSE, WATCHING THE MATCH VARIOUS FO THE MATCH IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (French) FORMER NATIONAL TEAM CAPTAIN, SADIA CISSE SAYING: "Mali will at least defend its third place. If there is a challenge we must be effective, we believe that the young people are up to the task and I think this is a good group. Young people currently form the national team and its a good group that will play an important role in this CAN be held in South Africa." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SITTING ON MOTORBIKE WATCHING SOCCER MATCH SOCCER MATCH IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (French) OFFICIAL DJOLIBA SOCCER CLUB, MODIBO COULIBALY, SAYING: "We hope this year to play the final and win the cup because in Gabon we finished third and we think we have a better team this year with young players who will come to reinforce the national team and we believe that Mali can do much more than it did in Gabon." PEOPLE WATCHING SOCCER MATCH TRAFFIC AROUND THE SOCCER HIPPO MONUMENT
- Embargoed: 19th January 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Mali
- Country: Mali
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVACMPMM62MOYIBBGRM9B3H9ABF6
- Story Text: Analysts and fans hope a youthful Malian side will be victorious at the Africa Cup of Nations taking place in South Africa this month.
Mali has had decades of lacklustre performances but picked itself up at the last few tournaments coming third at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nation which was won by Zambia.
Moussa Konate, an official at the Mali Football Federation said the new 2013 squad was in training abroad and would only be unveiled to the public on January 5th before travelling to South Africa.
"Regarding the preparation of the national team we have planned a re-union in Bamako on 5th... a friendly match and then 9th in Port Elizabeth. We will start preparing 10 days before the first match at AFCON which begins January 19," said Konate.
Mali has in the past relied mainly on its more experienced older players, many of them Europe-based but has never got the results it desired.
A strategy by coach Patrice Carteron appears promising, at least according to former national team captain Sadia Cisse.
"Mali will at least defend its third place. If there is a challenge we must be effective, we believe that the young people are up to the task and I think this is a good group. Young people currently form the national team and its a good group that will play an important role in this CAN be held in South Africa," he said.
Modibo Coulibaly, an official at the Bamako base Djoliba club believes the new Les Aigles squad has a good chance at winning the 2013 tournament.
"We hope this year to play the final and win the cup because in Gabon we finished third and we think we have a better team this year with young players who will come to reinforce the national team and we believe that Mali can do much more than it did in Gabon," said Coulibaly.
In one of their most popular come backs, Mali made headlines after turning around a 4-0 score to equalize 4-4 against Angola within the last 15 minutes of a match at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations.
But it remains to be seen whether Les Aigles can soar and replicate this feat against each of their opponents in South Africa this month. Mali is drawn in group B alongside Niger, DR Congo and tournament favourites Ghana.
Mali is still battling to contain a rebel movement in its northern region after a military coup ousted a democratically elected president last year. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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