Mali will have to defy history if they are to overcome the mighty Ivory Coast in today’s Africa Cup semi-final (kick-off: 8 p.m.).
The Ivorians have met Mali 21 times, winning 14 with the Eagles emerging victorious just once, in a friendly in 1995.
Twice their paths have crossed in the Nations Cup, with the Elephants prevailing 3-0 in the first round in 2008 and 3-1 in the quarter-finals in 1994.
Yet Mali’s Seydou Keita dismissed the significance of the lopsided statistics, the Barcelona star saying: “The past? In football the past doesn’t count for anything.”
Keita’s return to the national team after a 20-month hiatus proved instrumental in Mali’s progress at the 2012 Cup.
He converted the decisive spot-kick in the 5-4 penalty shoot-out defeat of co-hosts Gabon in Sunday’s quarter-final which had ended 1-1 after extra-time.
The 32-year-old said: “We deserve our qualification. Everything isn’t perfect, we’re not Brazil but we’re in the semi-finals and we’ll play to our strengths.
“We have nothing to lose.”
Mali, after escaping from the first round as group runners-up to Ghana, know only too well they will have to raise their game to topple the favourites.
Didier Drogba and co. left their plush Equatorial Guinea base in Malabo to fly to the Gabonese capital Libreville on Sunday with a perfect four wins out of four.
The Ivorians’ results make seductive reading – eight goals to none conceded.
Coach Francois Zahoui has injected a new-found pragmatism in a side that for so many years has flattered to deceive, earning the unwanted tag of ‘chokers’.
Drogba, who missed a penalty, then scored in the 3-0 quarter-final defeat of Equatorial Guinea, said: “In 2008 we were dazzling, scoring lots of goals but we didn’t manage to get to the final.
“In 2006 we were in the final and we lost. Here, we are showing character.”
Zambia... no pressure
In the other semi-final today (kick-off: 5 p.m.), the heat will be on Ghana and off Zambia when they clash in the steamy port city of Bata.
Severely depleted Ghana finished runners-up to Egypt in the 2010 final and later that year became only the third African country to reach the World Cup quarter-finals before losing on penalties to Uruguay.
By reaching the semi-finals for the first time since 1996, Zambia have met the pre-tournament target of French coach Herve Renard.
“There is no more pressure on us,” said Renard, “and now we can dream of going all the way to the final.
“Sure, Ghana are favourites in this semi-final, but we will be prepared for them. It will be a big match.”
Playing in the February 12 final would have special significance for the Copper Bullets as it will be hosted by Gabon, off whose coast a plane carrying the 1993 Zambian squad crashed with no survivors among the 30 on board.