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If you are looking to watch this game in the UK, it will be shown on 4Seven, the coverage starts at 1.55pm.
And here’s a couple of cracking* interviews with some players out at Afcon.
First up, I went for a natter with a couple of Tanzania’s key men, who were born in England.
And the wonderful Luke Entwistle has gone for a natter with Monaco’s Lamine Camara.
*be your own judge.
This is what happened in yesterday’s opening fixture.
Tottenham’s Yves Bissouma is missing for Mali, the country he captains, having not recovered from ankle surgery. The midfielder is yet to play for his club this season and has almost certainly played his final game for Spurs. Mali head coach Tom Saintfiet is confident the 29-year-old will be available before the tournament ends.
“We have assurances that Yves will be ready during the tournament,” Saintfiet said. “When the matches get tougher, we’ll be glad to have him with us. We need a captain who’s present both mentally and physically.”
This raised a few eyebrows this week. Change is coming
Starting lineups
Mali: Diarra; W.Coulibaly, Diaby, M.Fofana, Dante; Dieng, Sangaré; K.Doumbia, El Bilal Touré, Nene; Sinayoko
Zambia: Mwanza; M.Banda, Chanda, L.Banda, F.Sakala; Chaiwa, Tembo, L.Musonda, B.Sakala; Kangwa, Daka
Preamble
Zambia lifted the Afcon trophy back in 2012 but have not won a single match in the tournament since. They have drawn seven of their past nine group games, failing to get to the knockout stages. Between 2017 and 2021, they did not even qualify for the tournament. They will be desperate to get some points on the board today.
Mali, however, will have different ideas on the matter. The midfielder Amadou Haidara, of RB Leipzig, will be hugely influential when it comes to their chances of success in Morocco, but he starts on the bench today.
Kick-off: 2pm GMT.
