Mali struggled to find their rhythm in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, drawing 1-1 with Zambia in their Group A opener.
Speaking after the match, striker Lassine Sinayoko admitted the Eagles failed to play at their best.
Despite taking the lead, Mali were unable to control the match. Zambia’s resilience kept the Eagles on the back foot, culminating in a stoppage-time equalizer that denied Mali a winning start.
“Mali played a very good match. But the result isn’t there. That’s football,” Sinayoko said, reflecting the frustration of the team.
The AJ Auxerre forward was candid about Mali’s approach after scoring.
“We didn’t play football. Maybe it was the stakes, maybe it was Zambia that forced us to play like that. But it’s difficult to go back so far. You saw at the end,” he added, showing remorse for the way the team ceded control late in the game.
Mali had entered the tournament with high hopes, aiming to assert themselves in Group A alongside Morocco, Comoros, and Zambia.
However, Sinayoko’s comments underline the challenges they faced in balancing ambition with caution, especially against a disciplined and determined opponent like the Chipolopolo.
The draw leaves Mali needing a strong response in their next match against hosts Morocco, who opened their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Comoros.
Sinayoko’s honesty about Mali’s performance suggests the team will look to regain composure and impose their game in order to stay in contention for the knockout stages.
Mali’s Group A campaign now hinges on learning from the opener and finding the attacking fluency that Sinayoko believes was missing.
“We have to improve, we have to play our football,” he stressed, emphasizing that the Eagles’ potential remains intact despite the disappointing result.
With the next game against Morocco looming, Mali will be keen to demonstrate that they can combine determination with creativity, ensuring they do not leave points behind in the opening rounds of this competitive Africa Cup of Nations.
The Eagles will need to recover quickly and show the kind of football Sinayoko and the fans expect if they are to challenge for a place in the later stages of the tournament.
