Mali vs Israel, Olympics Football 2024, Today Match Prediction

Mali vs Israel Match Prediction & Analysis

Mali and Israel, separated by continents but united by football, had similar turns of events that led them to the Olympic football tournament in Paris. Both qualified for the Olympics in a penalty shootout in their respective continental championships. Mali overcame Guinea in a 4-3 shootout to secure third place in the U23 African Cup of Nations, while Ukraine faced Georgia, the co-hosts of the U-21 European Championship. In the end, Ukraine overcame Georgia with a score comparable to that of Mali. Surprisingly, both matches ended in a goalless draw. 

There will be no penalty shootout on Wednesday, as both teams play their first game of the tournament at the iconic Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. In the meantime, Israel will make their return to the event after a 48-year absence, while Mali will be making their second appearance at the event. 

TEAMS PREVIEW

Mali Preview

In an interview with FIFA, their coach, Alou Badra Diallo, stated, "As coach, my objective is to do better than our quarter-final finish at Athens 2004". It implies that they mean business.Diallo's impressive performance in the U23 African Cup of Nations and their recent success at the U17 FIFA World Cup, where they finished third and defeated Argentina in the bronze medal match, do not warrant accusations of boastfulness.

Diallo's confidence also stems from the talent and experience that the Les Aigles possess within their squad. Among them are notable names: Red Star's star right-back, Fode Doucoure; Schalke’s centre-back, Ibrahima Cisse; and Red Bull Salzburg’s midfielder, Mamadou Sangare. The trio played a vital part in Mali's success at the African Cup of Nations and was deservedly named in the team of the tournament. Apart from these players, Brahima Diarra and Napoli's prospect, Coli Saco, are the ones to keep an eye out for from a Malian perspective. 

Given the wealth of talents that Diallo has at his disposal, it is likely that the coach may opt for a more midfield-centric formation. From what we have seen in the African Cup of Nations and their recent outings, the coach is likely to deploy a 4-5-1 formation and its variations. 

Mali Probable Starting XI: L. Diarra; Doucoure, Cisse, Soumaoro, Soumare; Sissoko, Traore, B. Diarra; Sangare; Diakite, Samake

Israel Preview

Making a comeback to the tournament after 48 years, the Israel team may attribute some of their success in Paris to luck, while the rest to the hard work and planning they put in to create the underage circuit.  In an ideal world, they wouldn't have made it to the event, as England, being the winners of the U-21 European Championship, should have been there ahead of Israel. Fortunately for them, England not being an IOC member and France's inability to advance to the semis ensured that all other semifinalists, regardless of the outcome, qualified for the Paris Olympics.

At the same time, one must not underestimate their performance in the U-23 European Championship and the recently concluded U-17 FIFA World Cup, where they finished third after defeating South Korea in the bronze medal match. As expected, a few of the players that competed in the U-20 FIFA World Cup contributed to the team's European Championship win.

Among the group of talented youngsters in the squad, Oscar Gloukh’s name stands out the most. RB Salzburg's attacking midfielder contributed significantly to the U21 European Championship's victory and was awarded player of the match against Georgia. Aside from that, the Israelis will rely on Shakhtar Donetsk's Stav Lemkin to lead their team to victory in Paris in 2024. 

In terms of tactics, Guy Luzon is expected to use a 4-4-2 formation in the opening match. 

Israel Probable Starting XI: Eliasi; Feingold, Goldberg, Lemkin, Revivo; Gandelman, Azoulay; Abada, Gloukh, Solomon; Turgeman

MALI vs ISRAEL
Winning Prediction

In the lead-up to the competition, Mali is on a five-match unbeaten streak, having beaten opponents such as Uzbekistan and Japan. Thus, it is no surprise that the West African nation is expected to defeat Israel on Wednesday, according to the odds from the biggest betting sites. 

However, with previous experience coaching teams in Belgium and England and leading them to a podium result in the European Championships, a squad guided by Guy Luzon should not be disregarded. 

Clubbed along with favourites Japan and 2004 gold medalists Paraguay, this could well turn out to be a potential knockout game for both teams. In that scenario, one can expect the teams to go out for an outright win. Given Mali's depth and talent, we pick Les Aigles to win their first match. 

Mali U-23 to Win (2-0)

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