Fresh from their draw with DR Congo, Mali coach Patrice Carteron is already preparing for their next task - a quarter-final clash with South Africa.
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The 1-1 stalemate on Monday was enough to ensure the Eagles finished second in Group B and as a result they will face the host nation, who came first in Group A, in Durban on Saturday.
Mali's encounter with the DR Congo was a bruising one as seven yellow cards were dished out by referee Djamel Haimoudi, five of which were shown to Carteron's side - something that left him a bit bemused.
"Sometimes you have to play physically," he said. "I don't understand why there were so many yellow cards. The most important thing is that we get through to the quarter-finals."
One of those cautions was given to goalkeeper Mamadou Samassa, his second of the group stages, meaning he will miss the quarter-final tie.
While the loss of their first-choice keeper is a blow, Carteron is confident that Soumbeila Diakite is up to the task of stepping in between the goal posts.
"During this competition there is no time to think that the goalkeeper won't be there," the Frenchman told Football411. "But you must know one thing: the second goalkeeper has never lost a penalty shootout so South Africa should win before the end of the game!" he added with a wry smile.
He knows that coming up against Bafana Bafana will be tough, but with all the pressure on the AFCON hosts, Carteron is hopeful of capitalising on any possible nerves.
"We all know that South Africa will be the team that everybody wants to see in the semi-finals so the pressure will be on them," he explained. "The stadium will be full and everybody will be supporting them but we will do our best."
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