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The Round of 16 at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations begins today, and I am looking forward to two exciting matches. Below are my predictions for Senegal vs Sudan and Mali vs Tunisia.
Senegal vs Sudan
Venue: Grand Stade de Tanger
Kick-off: 5pm WAT
I am predicting a 2-0 win for Senegal in this match.
Senegal have looked solid and well organised throughout the group stage. They topped Group D with two wins and a draw, conceding just one goal. Even though they will miss their captain, Kalidou Koulibaly, due to suspension, I still believe they have enough quality and experience to win.
Players like Sadio Mané and Nicolas Jackson, who has already scored twice in the tournament, can decide the game at any moment. Senegal also have a strong record against Sudan and defeated them 2-0 the last time both teams met.
Sudan deserve credit for reaching this stage as one of the best third-placed teams. They will play with confidence and nothing to lose. However, I think Senegal’s discipline, control and attacking strength will be too much for them over 90 minutes.
My prediction: Senegal 2-0 Sudan
Mali vs Tunisia
Venue: Stade Mohamed V, Casablanca
Kick-off: 8pm WAT
For this match, I am tipping a 1-1 draw, with the game to be decided on penalties.
This fixture is usually tight, tense and low-scoring, and I expect the same again. Mali are very strong defensively and have gone unbeaten so far, even though they did not record a win in the group stage. Under Tom Saintfiet, they are organised, disciplined and hard to break down.
Tunisia have been inconsistent. They showed quality in their win over Uganda but struggled against Nigeria and Tanzania. Still, their experience at major tournaments cannot be ignored.
With both teams likely to be cautious, I see the match ending level after normal time, with penalties needed to decide who goes through.
My prediction: Mali 1-1 Tunisia (decided on penalties)
These two matches should set the tone for an exciting knockout phase, with Senegal expected to progress and Mali vs Tunisia shaping up to be another classic AFCON battle.
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