Mali vs Central Africa Prediction: Expect a win for the host

Mali aims to continue their impressive form with a fourth consecutive victory as they host the challenge of the Central African Republic at Stade du 26 Mars on Sunday. On the other hand, the visiting team arrives in Bamako seeking to kickstart their World Cup qualifying campaign after experiencing an opening defeat in their last outing.

Mali started their journey to the 2026 World Cup on a high note, securing a comfortable 3-1 victory over Chad on Thursday evening. Eric Chelle's squad took the lead just before half-time courtesy of Kamory Doumbia, but were briefly equalized by Marius. However, quick goals from Youssoufou Niakate and Ibrahima Sissoko ensured Mali's triumph in the contest. This win extends Les Aigles' impressive run, with victories in each of their last three matches and five of their last six outings overall. Their next challenge comes against an opponent ranked significantly lower, a staggering 80 places below, in the latest FIFA rankings of national teams. Heading into the game on home turf with a run of four consecutive wins, Mali will be eager to maintain their winning momentum in front of their supporters.

Central African Republic faced a disappointing outcome in a thrilling encounter against Comoros, where they ended up empty-handed in a 4-2 defeat at Stade de Moroni on Thursday. Despite taking an early lead with an Akim Abdallah own goal, Raoul Savoy's team conceded four consecutive goals to Kassim M'Dahoma, Benjaloud Youssouf, Rafiki Said, and Myziane Maolida. They managed to pull one back through Younn Zahary. This result marked Central African Republic's third consecutive defeat across all competitions, following a previous run of two consecutive victories. With a challenging record of being defeated in all but one of their last seven away matches leading up to Monday's clash, the visitors will be determined to reverse their fortunes on the road.

Mali's impressive momentum heading into this match positions them as favorites to emerge victorious, especially with the added advantage of playing on home turf. In light of this, we anticipate Mali to secure the win by the time the full-time whistle blows. Additionally, both teams are expected to contribute to the scoring, making for an entertaining match with goals from both sides.