Eswatini come into this game off the back of a 1-0 defeat away to Guinea-Bissau in their first AFCON qualifier, with Bura Nogueira scoring the only goal of the game.

If their World Cup 2026 qualifying form is anything to go by, it will be a tough task for Eswatini to qualify for AFCON 2025 as they sit bottom of Group D with four defeats on the spin and only four African nations are lower than their FIFA ranking of 158.

Sihlangu Semnikati's form in the COSAFA Cup has not been any better, with a 1-0 defeat to South Africa knocking them out of the group stage in July.

Eswatini have yet to qualify for either the World Cup or the AFCON finals and will need to be at their best against Mali if they are to have any hope of picking up their first points in these upcoming qualifiers.

Qualifying for the AFCON will be the task of new head coach Zdravko Logarusic, who replaced the outgoing Dominic Kunene, whose four-year tenure as Eswatini coach came to an end in August.

Mali, on the other hand, go into Sunday's match off the back of a 1-1 draw at home to Mozambique, with Yves Bissouma rescuing a point for his side after they had fallen behind to a Geny Catamo strike.

Although it was far from an ideal start for Mali, Les Aigles have lost just two of their last 17 matches and will be among the favourites to top Group I in the AFCON qualifiers.

However, like their opponents on Sunday, their World Cup qualifying form is up in the air as they currently sit fourth in the standings, below Comoros, Ghana and Madagascar after four games.

Mali's new head coach, Tom Saintfiet, replaced Eric Chelle in August after the latter left his post as national team coach of the Philippines to take up the position.

The highly experienced Saintfiet has an extensive portfolio of experience in charge of teams on the African continent, having previously served as head coach of Namibia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Malawi, Togo and Gambia, the latter being his most successful stint as he led Gambia to the quarter-finals of the 2021 AFCON.

Eswatini possible starting lineup:

Gama; Manana, Silenge, Gamedze, Thwala; Dlamini, Masangane, Matse, Matsebula; Ndzinisa; Mkhonto

Mali possible starting lineup:

Diarra; Diakite, Diaby, Fofana, Doucoure; Coulibaly, Dieng; Koita, Bissouma, Djenepo; Doumbia

Prediction:Eswatini 0-1 Mali

Eswatini VS Mali stream and TV listing

International：Holasports