Mali U23 vs Israel U23 Prediction: Both teams to score in this game

On Wednesday night, Mali will play Israel in the first Men's Olympic Football Tournament group stage match at the Paris 2024 Games. Both countries are trying to progress from Group D, which also comprises Japan and Paraguay, and launch their campaigns at the Parc des Princes.

Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Boubacar Traore is the most notable player in Mali's 18-man roster. Issouf Sissokho of Bordeaux may also start in the middle of the pitch, and Brahima Diarra, a free agent after leaving Huddersfield Town, is also vying to start in that position.

With first-choice goalkeeper and captain Daniel Peretz sidelined for the Olympics due to a partial rupture in his quadriceps muscle, Niv Eliasi is anticipated to step in between the sticks for Israel, which has suffered a serious injury blow.

The Tottenham Hotspur winger Manor Solomon, who has been out of action for about ten months due to a major knee injury, was able to play for 45 minutes in last week's friendly, giving the Sky Blue and Whites a boost in the offensive department.

With three victories in their previous four games, Mali qualified for the Olympics by finishing third at the U23 African Cup of Nations. Israel is rated as 19/10 underdogs this week because they had lost six of their previous seven games.

Mali will compete in the Men's Football Tournament for the second time at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, and the first since they advanced to the quarterfinals in the 2004 Athens Games. After defeating Guinea 4-3 on penalties in the third-place playoff and advancing to the semifinals of the 2023 Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations, Les Aigles Espoirs has made it to this year's competition after two decades.

Over the last two years, Alou Badra Diallo has been leading Mali's junior team. Having led AS Otoho to the Congolese premier league in 2021–22, the 54-year-old is now aiming for success on the international front. In order to compete in Paris, Mali's current youth generation provides a respectable blend of cunning and ruthlessness, and Badra Diallo has stated that he 'has faith in this generation of players' who are "capable of achieving great things."

In order to be ready for the Paris Games, Les Aigles Espoirs have played in three friendlies this month. They defeated the Mali Under-20 squad 2-0 and 1-0 before defeating Football Club 93 Bobigny, a French fourth-tier team, 3-0 last Friday.

Israel, on the other hand, is preparing for their third Olympic Games participation and their first since they advanced to the quarterfinals in Montreal in 1976 and Mexico City in 1968. The Sky Blue and Whites advanced to the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship semifinals, where they lost 3-0 to eventual winners England in the final four despite coming second in their group and defeating Georgia on penalties in the quarterfinals. This achievement earned them a trip to the Paris Games.

Guy Luzon, a 48-year-old who formerly managed Maccabi Petah Tikva and Charlton Athletic, is relishing his second stint as the Israeli junior team's manager. His goal is to make his club "one which can be real contenders, rather than just another team that has qualified." Over the past 12 months, Israel has attempted to fool everyone, but they have lost six straight games in all competitions before defeating Maccabi Petah Tikva 2-0 in a warm-up match last Thursday.

Israel is free to compete at the Paris Games during a period of heightened geopolitical tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict. However, Israeli athletes will receive round-the-clock protection in response to controversial remarks made by French Member of Parliament Thomas Portes, who stated that the country is "not welcome" in Paris, as well as because pro-Palestinian protests are a potential threat.

In four of Mali's last five games across all competitions, both teams have scored. Six of Israel's previous seven games across all competitions have ended in losses. Israel has scored in three of their previous five games. The last time Mali participated in the Olympics was in 2004; they made it to the quarterfinals.

Before the Olympics, Mali was able to win three of their previous four games and only gave up once in those three games. Amidst a lacklustre performance for the Skyblue and Whites, Israel has scored two goals in three of their previous five games, and they have the potential to score another brace on Wednesday.

These two sides are in high spirits heading into Wednesday's match after winning their last warm-up game. There isn't much separating them, but we think Mali has a slight advantage and should be able to pull off a narrow victory.With three victories in their previous four games, Mali qualified for the Olympics by finishing third at the U23 African Cup of Nations. Israel is rated as 19/10 underdogs this week because they had lost six of their previous seven games.