Francis Awine

Scouting Report

Position : Left fullback
Current Club : Stade Malien de Bamako (Mali)
DOB : February 22, 2006
Birthplace : Kintampo, Ghana
Height : 1.70 m (5 ft. 7 inches)
Weight : N/A

To begin our series of scouting reports on players involved in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation quarterfinals, we begin with Stade Malien left back Francis Awine.

Prior to his breakout 2025-26 season with Stade Malien, the 20-year-old Ghanaian fullback was little known. Developed at Benab Football Club, a third tier club based in Ghana’s Ashanti Region, Awine established himself as a reliable player before jetting off for Mali alongside two teammates.

From the obscurity of Ghana’s Division Two to the CAF Champions League, Awine is one of the great stories of the competition this season for a club that only allowed two goals in the competition’s group stage in a very competitive group. Awine played nearly every minute during the group stage after being an unused substitute throughout the qualifying stages.

So what kind of player is Awine? Based on the video, it is clear that the young defender is a player who is strong in many departments even if he is not spectacular in any particular area. What stands out most are his advanced intelligence and discipline.

Where he thrives most is on the defensive end. Strong when defending crosses on the far post, he picks the correct moments to intervene and keeps his calm when defending in transition situations. He has strong defensive vision, always keeping his head on a swivel to keep opposing attackers within reach while being eager to assist his teammates centrally.

These are very promising characteristics to have at a young age, especially considering this is his first season playing at a professional level.

In attack, Awine continues to develop with increasing confidence when getting forward. His crossing ability is strong but he still has to increase his ability on the ball so that he can be more of a threat on the dribble. The off ball movement is strong, which allows him to get into situations where he can cross the ball quickly without the need to run at defenders.

Statistics

Club (Years)	League	Appearances	Goals
Benab FC (-2025)	Ghana Division Two	N/A	N/A
Stade Malien (2025-)	CAF Champions League	6	0

General Pros & Cons

Advantages

Impressive defensive positioning and marking
Promising technique on crossing and services into penalty area

Disadvantages

Limited professional experience
Lacks the confidence to dribble at defenders in attack

Physical

Good pace allows him to get up and down the flank and get back quickly to defend in transition.
Adequate jumping ability to be strong on aerial duels with similarly built wingers.
Lacks the pace to explode into space on the ball.

Technical

A very capable crosser of the ball. Measures his crosses well and can curl the ball well whether the ball is moving or stationary when he strikes it.
Not particularly skilled on the ball. Can burst into space but lacks the confidence to dribble at opposing defenders and prefers to defer to more talented attacking teammates.

Mental

Advanced instincts off the ball and never tries to do too much.
Excellent vision and attention off the ball. Does not abandon marking duties but still positions himself to be involved centrally.
Is always focused on his positioning. Will not be caught too far up the pitch and is a strong defender in transition.
Lacks top level experience. In his first season at a top division African club.

Tactical

Strong positioning for a player of his age. Finds a way to remain highly involved while performing his duties on the left wing.
When in attack, Awine always looks to position himself to deliver crosses and focuses on setting up more talented attacking teammates rather than making plays on the ball.
Marks opposing attackers well in the penalty area. When the ball is on the opposite flank, he remains attentive to prepare for crosses into the box.
Could show more urgency when closing down deliveries into the box on his flank.

Statistical Analysis

Awine established himself among the best left backs in the CAF Champions League and the statistics also support this theory. Here is how the Ghanaian ranks among a group of 19 left backs in the competition who played 300 or more minutes in Champions League matches:

Statistics	Total	Ranking
Def. Duels/90 Minutes	8.47	2nd
Success Def. Actions/90	11.13	2nd
Interceptions/90	5.17	1st
Crosses/90	2.82	2nd
Cross Accuracy (%)	61.11%	1st
Back Passes/90	1.1	19th (least)
Passes to Penalty Area/90	3.61	2nd
Pass Accuracy to PA (%)	60.87%	3rd

What stands out is not only the efficiency of Awine on his defending but how often he gets involved based on the amount of defensive duels he engages in. His interception statistics highlight how he focuses on positioning to make defensive plays rather than aggression.

His attacking play is not eye-catching but it is remarkably intelligent at his stage of development. When Awine gets forward, he eagerly plays a support role behind the winger positioned ahead of him where he can produce early crosses and attempt to advance the attack into the penalty area.

When possible, he looks to move the ball forward with accuracy rather than instinctively looking to pass square or backwards. This makes him an effective player for counter-attacking teams like Stade Malien where he can initiate attacks while there are still spaces to exploit.

Ready for a move to a second division Top-5 European country or top division of Austria or Belgium

With strong physical attributes including good pace and strong jumping ability for his height, Awine is ready to compete at an adequate level of European club football. He has excellent intelligence and instincts, particularly on the defensive end.

The only potential issue is his lack of experience at the professional level. Incredibly, he is displaying these abilities in his first season at a well-regarded African club after featuring in the lower leagues of Ghana prior to this season. If he joins a club in France, Spain, or Italy there may be a period of adjustment to account for.

But this lack of professional experience is very difficult to notice and it would be tested most with the high level of urgency in European club football. Awine appears to have the mentality to adjust along with the physical abilities to thrive.