Stallions mount challenge for hungry Lions
Burkina Faso's forward Bertrand Traore celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2021 round of 16 football match between Burkina Faso and Gabon at Limbe Omnisport Stadium in Limbe on January 23, 2022. PHOTO / AFP
What you need to know:
- Semi final call. Burkina Faso will be delighted with their performance at the Africa Cup of Nations as they have turned in a performance of the highest quality and made it to the last four against the odds. Senegal, on the other hand, have hit their stride at the business end of the tournament and will now feel confident in their chances of going all the way this year and ending their wait for continental glory.
From 24, it is now down to just four teams left in the quest for the 33rd Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Cameroon.
The hosts, record seven-time winners Egypt, two-time finalists Senegal and 2013 runners-up Burkina Faso make up that list and one of them will walk away with the coveted title in Yaounde on Sunday night.
Senegal and Burkina Faso face-off in the first semi-final at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaoundé tonight.
Few gave Burkinabe the chance to go this far in the tournament, after all their older generation with the likes of Charles Kabore, Jonathan Pitroipa and Aristide Bance has since closed in on retirement.
But Kamou Malo has managed a transition and built a new side banking on young faces like Bertrand Traore, Gustavo Sangare, Herve Koffi and Abdoul Tapsoba among others.
The Stallions are now unbeaten in 10 of their last 11 outings with five wins and five draws and are confident of taking another step to their second Afcon final in nine years.
However, Senegal is eyeing a second straight Afcon final too. Coach Aliou Cisse’s side had a lukewarm start to the tournament, picking five points and just a goal to show in the group stages.
But the men from Dakar have since upped the ante, eliminating Cape Verde 2-0 and defeating Equatorial Guinea 3-1 at the last 16 and quarterfinal stages respectively.
Key man Sadio Mane, who has scored twice thus far, is focused on even committing better when Senegal doesn’t have the ball.
“It’s my job [to be ready to play everywhere]. I have to do it because I think it’s really important for me,” he said after the quarterfinals. “It’s important for the boys to make sure we win the game, so to win you have to do everything and make all the sacrifices necessary.”
Burkina Faso on the other hand lost the tournament opener 2-1 to Cameroon but took four points off Cape Verde and Ethiopia. At the last 16 stage, they endured and went past a resilient Gabon via penalties and at the quarterfinals, Dango Ouattara’s effort was enough to see them past Tunisia.
Ouattara was later sent off eight minutes from time and will miss this fixture but Malo could keep the back four Steeve Yago, Edmond Tapsoba, Soumaila Ouattara and Issa Kabore ahead of custodian Koffi.
The same is expected from Cisse to Bouna Sarr, Kalidou Koulibaly, Abdou Diallo and Saliou Ciss in front of Edouard Mendy. Senegal has conceded just once in five matches, the best defence so far in Cameroon.
TOURNAMENT TOP SCORERS
6 Goals: Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon)
5 Goals: Karl Toko-Ekambi (Cameroon)
3 Goals: Gabadinho Mhango (Malawi), Ibrahima Koné (Mali), Sofiane Boufal (Morocco)
2 Goals: Ahmed Mogni (Comoros), Mohamed Salah (Egypt), Jim Allevinah (Gabon), Musa Barrow & Ablie Jallow (The Gambia), Nicolas Pépé (Ivory Coast), Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Sadio Mané (Senegal), Wahbi Khazri (Tunisia)
