- 1 Mali vs Rwanda: two perfect records and first place in Group K in Bamako
- 2 Mali: no Tia, and two first call-ups from English clubs
- 3 Rwanda: a comeback in Praia and two Mickels goals against Liberia
- 4 Free Football Prediction: Mali vs Rwanda
- 5 About our free predictions
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes
- 8 Your responsibility
- 9 Responsible gambling
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About visuals
Mali vs Rwanda: two perfect records and first place in Group K in Bamako 
Mali and Rwanda both have six points from two games in Group K, and both have a goal difference of plus three. Rwanda are top because they’ve scored five to Mali’s four, and the two leaders meet at the Stade du 26 Mars in Bamako on Friday.
Kick-off is at 19:00 UK time on Friday 13 November, matchday three of qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. The return leg is at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on Tuesday 17 November, so the group’s order could be settled within five days.
Cape Verde and Liberia haven’t taken a point between them, which already gives the top two a six-point cushion over third place. Two sides qualify from each group for the finals in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
Rwanda haven’t played at a Nations Cup since 2004. Stephen Constantine’s side beat Liberia 3-1 in Kigali and came from behind to win 2-1 in Praia in September, and they’ve lost one of their last six matches, a 3-0 World Cup qualifier in South Africa in October 2025.
Mali have never lost to Rwanda. The four previous meetings, all World Cup qualifiers between 2013 and 2021, produced three Mali wins and a 1-1 draw in Bamako in June 2013, with an aggregate score of 7-2.
Rwanda have won four of their last six matches and drawn another, and the squad flew to Bamako on 10 November, three days before kick-off. Mali have lost once in five, a June friendly against Iran.
Mali: no Tia, and two first call-ups from English clubs 
Ange Martial Tia scored in both qualifiers, after five minutes against Cape Verde and on 79 minutes for the 1-0 win in Monrovia. The Reims player has an ankle injury and isn’t in the squad.
Dorgeles Nene of Fenerbahçe scored the other two goals against Cape Verde, on 39 and 50 minutes, after Steven Lopes Cabral had equalised on ten. Mali have conceded once in two group games.
Anthony Da Silva, appointed in June, has also lost Adama Camara to a hamstring injury and Lassana Coulibaly to a thigh problem. Yves Bissouma isn’t in the 24.
Two players have been called up for the first time. Mohamadou Kanté, a 21-year-old defensive midfielder at West Ham, has three goals and two assists in his last nine games and chose Mali over France and Senegal, and Moussa Yeo, a 22-year-old winger at Swansea, has three goals in his last five.
Mali drew 1-1 with Morocco in Tangier on 4 October, Gaoussou Diarra of Feyenoord equalising on 77 minutes. Their only defeat in five matches was a 2-0 friendly loss to Iran in Antalya in June, and Lassine Sinayoko, Amadou Haïdara and Mamadou Sangaré of Brentford are all in the squad.
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Rwanda: a comeback in Praia and two Mickels goals against Liberia 
Abeddy Biramahire scored after three minutes against Liberia on 25 September, Leroy-Jacques Mickels added a second on 34, and Joy-Lance Mickels converted a penalty just before half-time. Liberia pulled one back through Sylvanus Nimely and had Sean Sherman sent off on the hour.
In Praia four days later Benchimol put Cape Verde ahead on 40 minutes. Claude Niyomugabo equalised in first-half stoppage time, and Elie Tatou Iradukunda scored the winner about seven minutes into the second half.
Leroy-Jacques Mickels, who plays for Sabah in Azerbaijan, had a goal and an assist against Liberia. Djihad Bizimana captains the side, and Thierry Manzi and Jean Bosco Ruboneka are recalled after spells without a club.
Constantine’s final 24 were confirmed on 9 November and the squad flew to Bamako the next day. Fidèle Uwiyaremye was sent home for disciplinary reasons, and Elie Ganijuru, Kevin Muhire, Taiba Mbonyumwami and goalkeeper Yves Mugisha were left out, with no injuries reported.
Rwanda’s last match was a goalless friendly with Kenya in Kigali on 5 October. They beat Grenada 4-0 and Estonia 2-0 in March, and they’re 119th in the FIFA ranking to Mali’s 47th.
Probable lineup Mali: Not announced at time of publication
Probable lineup Rwanda: Not announced at time of publication
Free Football Prediction: Mali vs Rwanda
Our prediction: Mali to win and under 3.5 goals
We’re backing Mali to win with under 3.5 goals. A straight Mali win at 1.27 is below our floor, and none of the four previous meetings between these sides produced more than three goals.
Tia’s absence costs Mali the scorer of half their group goals, and Rwanda have scored in both qualifiers. Mali have the deeper squad, though, with Nene in form and Kanté and Yeo added, and they’ve conceded once in the group.
Rwanda also have the return leg at home four days later, which makes a point in Bamako a good result for them and a cautious approach likely. We expect Mali to win 2-1.
The 1-1 in June 2013 is the only time Rwanda have taken anything from this fixture. In all four meetings they scored once or not at all, and Mali have kept clean sheets in the last two, 1-0 and 3-0 in World Cup qualifying in 2021.
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