فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Morocco’s national team will take on Mali on Friday evening, December 26, 2025, with kick-off at 9:00 p.m., at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat, in the second round of the group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations “Morocco 2025.”
The match carries special importance for the Atlas Lions after a successful opening win over Comoros (2–0), as victory would put them very close to securing a place in the knockout stage before the final group match.
Mali, meanwhile, come into the game under pressure to collect points after drawing their opener against Zambia (1–1), making the Rabat fixture a crucial stop for both sides in the group race.
On the injury front, Morocco are expected to miss captain Romain Saïss, who left the opening match early due to a muscle injury, according to international media reports.
In this context, sports circles are watching closely the defensive options the national coach may adopt to cover the absence, amid talk of other defenders being ready to step in.
At the pre-match press conference, Walid Regragui stressed that the goal remains to collect points and progress in the competition, noting that the second match carries a different context compared to the opener, given that the two teams know each other well.
He also said the technical staff is monitoring players’ fitness, adding that the squad is close to full readiness except for Saïss, while Achraf Hakimi’s situation is being managed gradually through a recovery program tailored to the tournament’s demands.
For their part, Mali’s coaching staff—according to official information published by the Confederation of African Football (CAF)—said the team will seek points without adopting a purely defensive approach, in a match expected to be played at a high tempo given the direct stakes for group leadership and avoiding complicated calculations.
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Source: Fes News Media
