Umqeqeshi weMali, u-Eric Chelle, uxwayise abazodlala nabo kwi-Africa Cup of Nations ngokuthi bakhathele ukuba inhlekisa kulo mqhudelwano abawuqala namuhla ngokubhekana neNingizimu Afrika kuGroup E.
Umdlalo use-Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, eKorhogo ngo-10 ebusuku.
Lo mqeqeshi ocashunwe iSuperSport ekhuluma ngaphambi kokubhekana, nezikaHugo Broos, uthe wonke amaqembu esizwe abazobhekana nawo e-Ivory Coast kumele eze emdlalweni ekuqonda ukuthi azozithintela izibonkolo.
Nakuba iMali ibalwa nezikhondlakhondla ebholeni lase-Afrika nasemhlabeni emiqhudelwaneni yabakalelwe iminyaka kodwa isalengelwa ihlazo lokuthi ayikaze ilubhade koweNdebe yoMhlaba.
Kuhlukile nokho kwi-Afcon kwazise iMali isizifake kulo mqhudelwano amahlandla angu-13 kodwa ayikaze iyiqukule le nkomishi yize ike yashaya ngabadlali abaphambili emhlabeni, njengoSeidou Keita, owine neBarcelona yaseSpain izicoco ezingu-14.
Ngo-1972 iMali yafika kowamanqamu we-Afcon kodwa yakhala ngaphansi kwiCongo. Ngo-2002, 2004, 2012 nango-2013 iMali yaphelela kweyandulela eyamanqamu ye-Afcon okuyinto okusobala ukuthi ayimhleli kahle uChelle.
Ngokwefomu, iMali izobekana neBafana ihambela phezulu kwazise inqobe ngembudlu ka 6-2 kwiGuinea-Bissau kowokugcina kweyokulungiselela i-Afcon muva nje.
“IMali isiphenduke inhlekisa ebholeni lase-Afrika ngakho-ke ngibatshelile abadlali bami ukuthi leli ithuba lokuphendula lokhu bakhombise i-Afrika ukuthi bangobani,” kusho uChelle.
“Angazi ukuthi kuzokwenzekani emdlalweni wethu olandelayo kodwa lokhu akusho lutho, inqobo nje uma kuzothi kuphela umdlalo sibe sizishaya isifuba ngokuthi siyimele ngobuqotho iMali.
“Uma siphumelela ukwenza lokho, angingabazi ukuthi inhlonipho esingasayitholi e-Afrika izobuya. Sikhathele ukuba inhlekisa,” kugcizelela uChelle.
Emidlalweni emibili ye-Afcon phakathi kweBafana neMali, leli qembu lesizwe eliholwa isilomo seTottanham yase-England, uYves Bissouma, liyinqobe yomibili.
Ama-Eagles (okuyisiteketiso seMali), akhipha iBafana kuma-quarter final e-Afcon ngo-2002 nango-2013 eNingizimu Afrika. IBafana yanqoba owobungani ngo-2019 eGqeberha.