U-17 World Cup: Mali coach Adama Diallo admits Zambia will be tough side

Mali U-17 national team head coach Adama Diallo had admitted they will have to be at their best to defeat Zambia in their Round of 32 of the U-17 FIFA World Cup on Friday at the Aspire Zone in Doha.

The Young West African side finished second in Group L, where they showed both power and resilience. The West Africans recorded wins over New Zealand (3-0) and Saudi Arabia (2-0), but suffered a 3-0 loss to Austria in their second match.

That form saw Mali collect six points, scoring five goals and conceding three, with key men Bomba, Dembélé, Ballo and Diakité all on the scoresheet during the group phase.

Meanwhile, the Young Chipolopolo qualified as Group H runners-up, finishing the group stage unbeaten with seven points from three matches, victories over Indonesia (3-1) and Honduras (5-2), followed by a spirited 1-1 draw with Brazil.

Zambia have already been exceptional

“It’s a complicated, difficult draw because already, all the teams that made it out of the group stage are very good teams. So, there wasn’t really any preference, but still, it was a tough draw,” said Diallo as quoted by Bola News.

“They’ve already been exceptional. They finished second in their group; they even drew against Brazil. The team has changed a bit compared to the Africa Cup because I saw them play there; they were eliminated in the quarterfinals, but now I think they’re a much stronger team. I believe it’s going to be a very good match for us too.

“If you want to go far, you have to be ready to beat every team you face. There’s no such thing as preference because even the third-placed teams can be dangerous. We just have to go there, play to win, and give our best.”

The tie will bring together two nations rich in youth football pedigree. Mali, a former U-17 World Cup finalist, are known for their physical strength and tactical discipline, while Zambia have captured global attention with their fluid play and fearless mentality.

The victor between Zambia and Mali will advance to face either Morocco or the United States in the Round of 16, a fixture that promises to further test Africa’s dominance at this year’s tournament.

Friday, 14 November

Zambia v Mali, 15.30, Pitch 8 (Mahmoud Soufi)

Portugal v Belgium, 15:30, Pitch 3 (Bader Bilal)

Switzerland v Egypt, 16:00, Pitch 5 (Khaled Ballan)

France v Colombia, 16:30, Pitch 1 (Mohammed Ghanim)

Argentina v Mexico, 17:45, Pitch 2 (Ibrahim Khalfan)

Republic of Ireland v Canada, 18:15, Pitch 4 (Khaled Salman)

Brazil v Paraguay, 18:45, Pitch 9 (Adel Mallala)

USA v Morocco, 18:45, Pitch 7 (Mansour Muftah)

Saturday, 15 November

Senegal v Uganda, 15:30, Pitch 7 (Mansour Muftah)

Korea Republic v England, 15:30, Pitch 8 (Mahmoud Soufi)

Italy v Czechia, 16:00, Pitch 1 (Mohammed Ghanim)

Japan v South Africa, 16:30, Pitch 3 (Bader Bilal)

Germany v Burkina Faso, 17:45, Pitch 2 (Ibrahim Khalfan)

Venezuela v Korea DPR, 18:15, Pitch 4 (Khaled Salman)

Croatia v Uzbekistan, 18:45, Pitch 9 (Adel Mallala)

Austria v Tunisia, 18:45, Pitch 5 (Khaled Ballan)

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