Good afternoon! Ivory Coast and Mali will both be hoping that they can taking control of the closely-fought Group C when they match gets underway in around half an hour. Let's take a look at the teams...

IVORY COAST STARTING XI: Gbohouo, Bailly, Kolo Toure, Kanon, Aurier, Tiote, Diomande, Yaya Toure, Tiene, Bony, Doumbia

MALI STARTING XI: Diakite, Diakite, Coulibaly, Wague, Tamboura, N'Diaye, Sulla, Keita, Yatabare, Yatabre, Sako

With Gervinho suspended for this match, Seydou Doumbia partners Wilfried Bony upfont, having come off the bench to net the equaliser in their opening match against Guinea.

Sambou Yatabare was on target for Mali in the opener, and thought that he had a second late on, but that was ruled out for offside. The 18-year-old's older brother Mustapha Yatabare continues upfront, having looked lively in their opening match.

Ahead of this match, Ivory Coast coach Herve Renard told reporters that he expects Doumbia and Bony to form a strong partnership: "There is only one Gervinho, in the Ivory Coast and maybe in the competition, but I am sure the ones who will play to replace Gervinho will do well. Seydou we know is someone who, when he finds himself in the opposition box, is unstoppable, so it's highly likely that he will be associated with Wilfried Bony at the start of the match."

Meanwhile, Mali coach Henryk Kasperczak said in his pre-match press conference: "Before the tournament I said it was a very well balanced group, with no favourites, even if most people thought Cameroon and the Ivory Coast were the favourites. Mali are also a very good side in Africa just now. At the last Cup of Nations we were third and we are here to confirm that good performance."

This will be the fourth AFCON meeting between these two sides, with Ivory Coast winning all three of their previous meetings, with the most recent coming in a semi-final in 2012.

The players are making their way out ready for kickoff. As with all matches, the national anthems for both countries will be played before the action gets underway. There is a big Ivory Coast contingent in the stadium today, and they belt out their anthem as it fills the ground.

PREDICTION! Just before the action gets underway, there's just time for a quick prediction. Ahead of the tournament, Ivory Coast would probably been the favourites, but Gervinho will be a big loss for his team. With that in mind, I think Mali could sneak a 1-0 win today.

Here's a shot of the players making their way out a few minutes ago:

Sortie des joueurs match CIV - MALI pic.twitter.com/1z1v7XtwsV

— FIFCI (@FIFCI_tweet) January 24, 2015

KICKOFF! Mali get the match underway.

It's a promising start for Ivory Coast as Tiote tries to create an early chance for, but his cross in towards Bony fails to find the new Manchester City striker. The midfielder wins it back, but Mali have numbers back to prevent him playing it back in.

Neither side have really taken control of this match yet. Tiote's early cross remains the closer either side have come to getting a shots away.

From nowhere, Mali have taken an early lead as Sambou Yatabare spots an unmarked Bakary Sako making a run in for the side that finished third in 2013, and the Wolves winger struck it first time into the bottom left corner to open the scoring.

Sambou Yatabare is on the move again as he tries to set up another goal for Mali, but this time the teenager's path is blocked by Kanon. Yaya Toure tries to create something on the counter-attack, but he's crowded out on the edge of the box.

Ivory Coast really haven't got going yet, they've shown odd flashes while running at the Mali goal, but the midfield looks disjointed, leaving the strikers to rely on long balls forward.

CHANCE! Seydou Keita plays the ball forward for Sambou Yatabare, who really is looking sharp this afternoon. However, on this occasion the 18-year-old's effort is comfortably blocked.

Ivory Coast win a throw in on the sideline and try to force a quick break from it, but Diomande's high ball forward has too much on it for Bony, and goes straight on to Soumaila Diakite in the Mali goal.

Mustapha Yatabare tries to get involved up front for the first time this afternoon as Sako plays a through-ball for the striker, but Kolo Toure spots his run and manages to win the ball back for Ivory Coast.

CHANCE! Ivory Coast get the better of the Mali defenders for the first time as Serge Aurier makes a quick run in from the right before looking to pull it back for Doumbia, but Diakite manages to divert it behind for the first corner of the afternoon.

CHANCE! Ivory Coast are on the attack again, with Tiene whipping the ball in for Serge Aurier, but his header is both high and wide of the top right corner.

CHANCE! Ivory Coast have really upped their game in the last few minutes. This time Diomande crosses it in to Bony, who heads it forward for Doumbia, but the striker's volley fails to trouble the keeper. Meanwhile, Mustapha Yatabare is down injured after landing awkwardly while trying to block the Diomande block.

Renard shouts angrily at his players from the sideline as the intensity has gone from their attacking again. Kanon has the ball for a throw in, but the coach is screeching at him to get it forward.

Renard's shouting appears to have worked as Ivory Coast are quickly on the attack again. Doumbia wins it on the edge of the box and he squares it to Tient, but the midfielder slips as he sprints in, allowing Mali to clear the danger.

Mali haven't had many chances, other than the one that resulted in Sako's early goal. They catch their opponent's out with a quick counter-attack, but Sambou Yatabare's looping finish lacks power, leaving Sylbain Gbohouo with a comfortable save.

PENALTY APPEAL! Wilfried Bony tries to play his way in from the edge of the box, but Molla Wague appears to trip him in the box. The referee isn't interested in the striker's shouts for a spot kick, but Ivory Coast do have a corner.

OFF THE BAR! Kolo Toure is unmarked as the corner as curled into the Mali box, and the Liverpool defender leaps up high to head the header away. Diakite just gets his fingertips to it though and manages to nudge it onto the crossbar.

Siaka Tiene tries to set up another opportunity for Ivory Coast, slotting the ball through the middle for Doumbia, but the striker is flagged for offside, although he put the ball wide anyway.

SUB! Ivory Coast have to make an early change as Ismael Diomande is taken off for Max Gradel.

There's a bit of controversy as Eric Bailly flicks the ball up and heads it into the arms of the keeper, but the referee penalises Ivory Coast, judging it to be a backpass rather than a header. Ivory Coast are fuming as Mali have a free kick inside the penalty area.

Yatabare squares the free kick to Sako, but Gradel is there to make the block, denying the Wolverhampton Wanderers winger a second goal.

Gradel tries to set something up down the other end for Ivory Coast, but his high ball in towards Bony and Doumbia falls for Wague instead, and he gets it clear.

So at the interval it's just Bakary Sako's early strike that separates the sides. Kolo Toure could have equalised for Ivory Coast, but his header from a corner was kept out by the crossbar, but Herve Renard's side won't be counting themselves out just yet.

Ivory Coast had 65% of the possession in the opening 45 minutes, but both sides created the same number of chances with five, including one on target each. Mali are yet to force a corner though, while Ivory Coast had three.

Ivory Coast's early substitution seemed a strange one. Ismael Diomande had provided several decent crosses before being substituted before the break, so it seems safe to assume that his exit was because of an injury, but he didn't appear to have any obvious knock as he jogged off the pitch. Max Gradel has looked sharp of the back and up front since taking over though.

The players are back out ready for the start of the second half.

KICKOFF! Ivory Coast get the second half back underway.

Mustaphe Yatabare gets the ball forward for Mali, and he plays it through for Sako, but he can't get the shot away. Sylla tries to get it back for Mali, but it's just out of his reach.

CHANCE! Ivory Coast quickly get down the other end as Serge Aurier picks out the run of Bony, but the striker's header is high of the crossbar.

Ivory Coast are starting to dominate possession again, but Aurier tries to force a chance, slicing his shot well high from the edge of the box.

There's a bit of a heated exchange involving players from both teams as Sambou Yatabare and Aurier clash in midfield, resulting in a free kick for Mali as the latter appeared to push the young striker.

CHANCE! Gradel continues to cause problems for the Mali defenders as he holds off Tamboura before pulling it back for Yaya Toure, but the Manchester City man is tackled as he gets his shot away.

BOOKING! Adama Tamboura is the first player to be shown the yellow card for bringing down Serge Aurier just outside the box.

CHANCE! Tiene curls the ball in from the left-hand side of the box, but Diakite beats Yaya Toure to the ball in the air.

Mali keeper Soumaila Diakite appears to have an injury as he sits in the goalmouth clutching his right thigh after stepping to the right to watch a Bony shot go wide. The physio is working on him, but it doesn't look like he's in too much discomfort.

It looks like the keeper's afternoon may be over. He has his leg strapped, which delays the match for a couple of minutes, before being able to carry on. However, he slumps back to the ground just moments after action resumes, and Mali are now warming up their substitute keeper.

Diakite is eventually helped to the sidelines on a stretcher after a lengthy delay. The injury appears to really be causing him some problems now and he's in tears as he leaves the pitch.

SUB! Finally, Germain Berthe is ready to replay his injured teammate between the posts.

CHANCE! Mali come out fighting as the match gets back underway after the lengthy injury delay. Bako tears through the Ivory Coast defence, but his cross fails to find Mustapha Yatabare.

Ivory Coast quickly push back down the other end of force a corner, which Yaya Toure curls in towards new club teammate Wilfried Bony, but the striker is slightly early with his jump, and he can't get his header away cleanly.

BOOKING! Seydou Keita picks up a booking for arguing with the referee over the placing of the ball for a Mali free kick.

SUB! Mali are making a change, and it's something of a surprise as Bakary Sako is going off, with Tongo Doumbia taking his place.

Serge Aurier makes a superb run through the middle, weaving around several defenders to make his way into the box, but he's eventually dispossessed by Kanon. Gradel tries to play it back in from out wide, but there was no-one ready in the middle.

BOOKING! Cheick Tiote is booked for a late challenge on Mamoutou N'Diaye, earning him a yellow card. It's a costly one, as he was booked in the first match too, so will be suspended for their final group game.

SUB! Ivory Coast make an attacking change, sending on former Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou in place of defender Wilfried Kanon.

SUB! Ivory Coast make their final change, taking off Wilfried Bony for Junior Tallo.

Max Gradel has looked threatening since coming off the bench in the first half, and he's made the difference now, slotting in from the middle of the box following a chip in from Serge Aurier.

BOOKING! Yacouba Sylla is booked as there's a clash involving him, Yatabare and Sergie Aurier in midfield. Tensions have been running pretty high all match, and not for the first time there's some pushing and shoving, but it's just Sylla that is booked.

There are six minutes of stoppage time for both sides to try and find a late winner.

SUB! Mali make their final change, sending on Serey Die in place of Mustapha Yatabare.

Ivory Coast try to get the ball back in Mali's penalty area, but Tallo is penalised for some shirt tugging while trying to outmuscle Coulibaly. Meanwhile, Tiote is down injured for the second time in the space of a few minutes. He looks to be in some pain, but Ivory Coast have made all of their changes.

Eric Bailly comes out from the back to try to help Ivory Coast force a late winner, but his through-ball is nowhere near any of his teammates.

Kalou makes a run into the box and tries to pull it back for Toure, but Sambou Yatabare turns it behind for a corner. Toure curls it in, but Berthe comes off his line to claim it.

Max Gradel's late equaliser cancels out the early goal from Bakary Sako, ensuring that Ivory Coast and Mali finish level. It means all three matches played in this group so far have ended 1-1.

Well that's all from this match, just join us again shortly as Cameroon and Guinea go head to head from 7pm to try and take control of the group. Until then, thanks for joining me this afternoon, goodbye.