IBafana Bafana izoqala umkhankaso wayo kanobhutshuzwayo we-Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) uma isidudulana neMali e-Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, eKorhogo, e-Ivory Coast, ngoLwesibili ngehora leshumi ebusuku.
IBafana kuzofanele bakhombise ukuzimisela ukuze bakwazi ukushaya iMali njengoba behlulekile ukuthola imiphumela emihle emidlalweni yabo emibili edlule bebhekene nezimbangi ezifanayo kulo mqhudelwano.
Emidlalweni edlule iMali yanqoba yomibili imidlalo eyayidlala neSouth Africa ukuze ifike esigabeni sama-quarterfinal.
IMali yanqoba ngo 2-0 ngo-2002 nangamaphenathi eMoses Mabhida Stadium ngo-2013 ngemuva kokuthi umdlalo uphele zibambene ngo 1-1.
IMali ayikaze ihlulwe emdlalweni wokuvula ku-Afcon, yanqoba eyisikhombisa yadlala ngokulingana kwemihlanu, futhi iza kulo mqhudelwano idlala ibhola elisezingeni eliphezulu.
Banqobe imidlalo emine kwemihlanu edlule, okuhlanganisa nokushaya kwabo iGuinea-Bissau ngo 6-2 emdlalweni wabo wokuzilungiselela ngaphambi kwe-Afcon.
Elakuleli lona emdlalweni walo wokuzilungiselela wokugcina idlale ngokulingana ngo 0-0 neLesotho ngoLwesithathu.
IBafana Bafana nayo ibidlala imidlalo yokuhlungela iNdebe yoMhlaba ngoNovemba, ihlula iBenin ngo 2-1 okwalandelwa ishaywa yiRwanda ngo 2-0.
Umqeqeshi weBafana, u-Hugo Broos, ubalule ukubaluleka kokuqala kahle emqhudelwaneni ukuze lizibeke endaweni enhle kuGroup E.
“Sikubheke ngabomvu ukudlala. Siyazi ukuthi sinembangi enzima okuyiMali,” kusho uBroos ngoMsombuluko.
“Ngakolunye uhlangothi siyakholelwa emandleni ethu futhi ngiyethemba ukuthi sizozimisela kakhulu ukuze sinqobe lomdlalo omkhulu kangaka”
Umgadli uPercy Tau naye uvumile ukuthi babhekane nempi enzima kwiMali, wathi kodwa bahlela ukwenza okuthile okukhethekile kulo mqhudelwano futhi bafuna ukuqala ngenothi elihle.
“Iningi labadlali likujwayele ukuhamba nokudlala ngaphandle kwezwe.
“Siyibambe kahle yonke into futhi siwubheke ngabomvu umdlalo,” kusho uTau.
“Iqembu lethu liyazimisela. SineNamibia neTunisia, ngakho siyibheke ngabomvu leyo midlalo futhi.”
Iqembu laseNingizimu Afrika kuzomele limbheke ngabomvu uYves Bissouma, ongumdlali omqoka eqenjini leMali. Lo mdlali wasesiswini udlalela iTottenham Hotspur yase-England kanti uzobe emqoka kwiMali kulo mqhudelwano.
Umqeqeshi weMali, u-Éric Chelle, usexwayise ngokuthi iqembu lakhe lizimisele ngokubuyisa isithunzi seMali ngeNingizimu Africa.
“Umhlaba webhola uyalihleka ibhola laseMali. Ngakho ngibatshelile abadlali bami ukuthi kusezandleni zabo ukukhombisa umhlaba ukuthi bafanele ukuhlonishwa ebholeni,” kusho uChelle.