Mozambique's National Football Team Coach, Chiquinho Conde, demonstrated a careful and strategic approach to the Mambas' challenge in qualifying for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN). In a recent interview, Conde revealed that the national team will adopt a pragmatic stance when facing Mali in the first match of Group I, scheduled for 9 pm today.
Conde emphasized the need for pragmatism, highlighting the importance of the experience gained during the qualifying process. “We have to be pragmatic. Pragmatism is this, it's the experience we've gained throughout this qualifying process. Playing away against the seeded team, the favorite in our group, always respecting them, but always waiting, hoping that we can score a goal and manage the situation better based on what we also have available,” Conde stated.
The coach emphasized that, despite Mali being a strong and well-ranked team, especially after the recent coaching change and the incorporation of young talents, the Mambas need to remain calm and focus on their own game strategy. “The Mali team is strong, we saw a bit of that at the Olympic Games, even though they are still young. The coaching change also meant that some young players were included in this Mali squad. The strategy might be different, but the most important thing for us is not to stray from our game plan. Therefore, we will remain calm, rest now, and then we will see what the best strategy is for tomorrow (Friday),” the coach concluded.
In Group I, Guinea-Bissau has already started the competition with a victory, defeating Eswatini 1-0 at home. The Djurtus will be the Mambas' next opponents, in a match scheduled for the Zimpeto National Stadium on Tuesday, September 10th, at 3 pm.
With a cautious approach and meticulous preparation, the Mambas are seeking not only a solid performance against Mali, but also to build a strong foundation for the competition, aiming to achieve good results throughout the qualifying phase.
