The last match in which Cape Verde scored was against Mali.
They scored three times. The fourth goal that night was a Mali own goal.
Cape Verde lost the first leg of the final Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying round 1-0 in Praia. They travelled to Bamako needing to overturn the deficit and won 4-2 to take the tie 4-3 on aggregate.
Cape Verde qualified for the tournament for the first time. Mali were eliminated.
The expansion from twelve to sixteen teams later handed Mali a place through the FIFA rankings and brought them together again in Group D.
Nine months later, they meet again in Casablanca. Since that 4-2 victory, Cape Verde have played five matches, recording one draw and four defeats without scoring.
Mali managed only one shot on target against Cameroon
Mali began the tournament with a 2-1 defeat by Cameroon.
The result did not fully reflect the match. Mali produced 1.47 expected goals, slightly more than Cameroon’s 1.31, but sent only one of their eight attempts on target.
It was the penalty converted by Aïssata Traoré in the 30th minute.
None of their other seven shots forced Michaely Bihina into a save. Cameroon, by contrast, found two goals from four attempts on target through Ngah Manga.
Mali had only 33% possession and completed 96 of their 191 attempted passes, an accuracy rate of 50%. They stayed in the contest through their defensive work: they made 44 clearances, won 58 duels and reached half-time with a scoreline that still allowed them to compete.
They did not register another shot on target.
The defeat extended two sequences. Mali have lost their last three Women’s Africa Cup of Nations matches and are winless in four. They have also kept only one clean sheet in their 28 matches at the tournament.
Cape Verde resisted but offered little going forward
Cape Verde faced an even more demanding opening match.
Ghana attempted 26 shots, produced 3.13 expected goals and won 2-0. Doris Boaduwaa opened the scoring in the sixth minute before the same Eleia Vieira who had scored in Bamako put the ball into her own net.
The debutants spent almost the entire match defending. They made 51 clearances and goalkeeper Jacinta Rodrigues made five saves. Their only attempt on target came from Sandra Soares-Martins.
Cape Verde produced 0.02 expected goals in the second half.
The match also ended with Kleydiana Borges receiving a straight red card in the 90+2nd minute. It was a difficult conclusion for a team who had already gone four consecutive matches without scoring before the tournament began.
Their resistance prevented a heavier defeat but did not resolve the problem they have carried since qualifying: Cape Verde have not scored since that night in Bamako.
The second group game often rescues Mali
History offers Mali a reason for confidence.
Four of their six Women’s Africa Cup of Nations victories have come in their second group match. Their record in those fixtures is four wins, two draws and two defeats.
They have also gone four consecutive appearances without losing their second match. Mali won in 2010, 2016 and 2018 before drawing 1-1 with Ghana at the 2024 edition.
This time, they need to extend that sequence against the team who took their place on the pitch before the expansion gave it back.
Both teams enter the match without a point. If Ghana and Cameroon draw earlier in the evening, defeat would eliminate either Mali or Cape Verde. If that match produces a winner, the team who lose here would remain only mathematically alive and would need to win their final fixture while depending on other results and the tie-break criteria.
A draw would preserve both teams’ chances but could leave them even further behind Ghana and Cameroon.
Cape Verde have already shown that they can eliminate Mali.
Now they need to score again.
Mali vs Cape Verde
Sunday, 2 August · 22:00 in Spain
Larbi Zaouli Stadium, Casablanca
