Morocco U23 vs Mali U23 - Friendlies

There is a notable edge to this Friendlies fixture. When Morocco U23 meet Mali U23 at the home ground on October 1, 2026, both will sense an opportunity to land a telling blow. Manchester City face the K-League All-Stars in Seoul as part of their pre-season tour of Asia.

There is plenty riding on this Friendlies encounter for Morocco U23 and Mali U23 alike, and neither will want to leave the home ground empty-handed. The hosts will hope that the the home ground crowd can inspire a performance, whatever the numbers suggest. The visitors will back themselves to cause problems and will not make the trip expecting an easy afternoon. The on-loan Southampton striker had scored on his debut for Auxerre in defeat last weekend but followed it up with the winning goal against Nice to earn his old boss Will Still his first points in the job.

Stylistically, this is a compelling matchup. Morocco U23 favour a patient, possession-based approach, whereas Mali U23 are at their most dangerous when allowed to hit quickly on the counter. They are sticking to the principles of possession and pressing that have taken them from the fourth tier.

With Son Heung-Min leading the league's scoring charts at 4 goals, the contest is unlikely to be short of attacking intent. The wide areas will be a key battleground, with full-backs and wingers on either side capable of swinging the contest one way or the other. Left-back is not a priority area to strengthen but with Luke Shaw as the only natural fit, especially as Michael Carrick prefers Patrick Dorgu further forward, it could soon become as such.

Without the market to lean on, the contest feels genuinely open — and the outcome may come down to which side handles the occasion better. The signals point towards a stalemate, with the two sides closely matched across form and standings. A 1-1 draw is easy to envisage. Whatever the outcome, the Friendlies fixture promises a meaningful contest with real implications for both clubs. The team currently most likely to win the 2026 WNBA Finals according to Opta.