On Friday afternoon, Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Yves Bissouma was one of a number of Spurs players in action during the second half of the international break, as his Mali side faced Mozambique on the road, with a chance to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations finals, having not quite got over the line during the October international break.
For this game, manager Tom Saintflet deployed Bissouma, his captain, as a number ten in a 4231 set up. Just under twenty minutes into the game, the Spurs midfielder assisted winger Kamory Doumbia to give Mali the lead in the game, with a strike from just outside the box.
That goal would prove to be decisive, as it was the only one of the game, and gave Mali the all important three points. This secures their place at the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco, and secures their place as group winners, with 11 points from five games, and with a superior head to head record over their second placed hosts.
Midfielders side secure qualification to tournament finals
As for Bissouma himself, it was a solid all round display from him further up the pitch. The midfielder recorded; 69 touches, 39/45 completed passes, three chances created, 1/1 accurate long balls, one shot off target, two shots blocked, 4/7 completed dribbles, eight ground duels won, four fouls drawn, one clearance, and one interception, as he skippered his side to the Africa Cup of Nations.
The tournament will actually begin in 2025 and end in 2026. The tournament, hosted by Morocco, will begin on the 21st of December, and end on the 18th of January. The tournament was set to be hosted in the summer of 2025 instead, but the newly proposed FIFA Club World Cup that will take place in the summer, meant it had to be moved.
The Africa Cup of Nations is often an inconvenience to sides, but in general the January schedule is not too bad anyway. As a result of the FA Cup and the January winter break, there aren’t many games that take place anyway. However, due to the tournament being put forward, teams will now miss their players during the hectic Christmas schedule, making it even worse than before.
Assuming both players are still at the club next season, Spurs will miss both Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr, whose Senegal side qualified last month, for the busy schedule around Christmas time.