Check out top 8 memorable games between Ghana and Mali as they meet again after four years

Two West African football powerhouses, Mali and Ghana, will face off in a keenly anticipated Group I clash on matchday 3 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

This will be the first meeting between the two sides in a World Cup qualifier since 2009.

There is not much to separate the two sides who have met ten times, with Ghana winning 5 and Mali winning 3, while two of those encounters ended in a draw.

While the Black Stars will be looking to extend their lead, Mali will aim to close in on the record when they host Ghana on Thursday, June 6, 2024, in Bamako.

With the game promising to be a thrilling tie, GhanaWeb looks back at eight memorable matches between the two.

Ghana 5-1 Mali (2nd October 1960)

Ghana and Mali locked horns for the first time when they met in the West African Championship, also known as the Kwame Nkrumah Gold Cup.

Ghana won the trophy in the one-off tie, trashing Mali 5-1.

Ghana 4-0 Mali (3rd March 1963)

The two sides met again in 1963 in the West African Championship when the Black Stars beat Mali 4-0 to defend the title.

Mali 0-2 Ghana (7th June 2009)

Ghana and Mali met for the first time in a World Cup qualifier in 2009.

The Black Stars won the away fixture 0-2 with goals from Kwadwo Asamoah and Matthew Amoah.

Ghana 2-0 Mali (28th January 2012)

The first match-up between them in the African Cup of Nations dates back to January 28, 2012. Ghana won the fixture 2-0.

Asamoah Gyan scored a spectacular free kick with Andre Ayew adding another to clinch the victory for Goran Stevanovic’s side.

Mali 2-0 Ghana (11th February 2012)

Mali got their revenge on Ghana in the 2012 AFCON when they met for the third-place finish.

They won 2-0 and earned the bronze medal at the expense of the Black Stars.

Ghana 1-3 Mali (9th February 2013)

Both countries met again in a third-place encounter a year on in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

Mali yet again won the tie to finish third place twice in a row, beating Ghana 3-1 in South Africa.

Ghana 1-0 Mali (21st January 2017)

The last competitive match between Mali and Ghana took place at the 2017 AFCON where the Black Stars won by a slim margin.

Ghana beat Mali 1-0 in what was a Group D round 2 fixture. Asamoah Gyan scored the only goal of the game.

Mali 3-0 Ghana

The last time both sides met dates back to October 9, 2020, when Mali thumped Ghana 3-0 at Emirhan Sports Center in Turkey.

EE/EK