By 
Burkina Faso on Tuesday suffered a 2-1 defeat to Mali despite their relentless efforts to stay in the competition.
The match witnessed an early advantageous lead for Mali as Edmond Tapsoba scored a brilliant finish just three minutes into play from a rebound save by Burkina Faso’s Kouakou Koffi.
Malian footballer, Lassine Sinayoko, secured Mali’s victory with a superb side-netting shot just one minute into the second half.
Read More: Mixed reactions greet Chipolopolo ouster from AFCON, as netizens knock coach Grant
Both teams had numerous missed opportunities, with wasted crosses and headers adding to the drama.
Bertrand Traoré gave Burkina Faso a glimmer of hope with a penalty conversion 11 minutes after Sinayoko’s goal, narrowing the gap to just one goal down.
With 57 minutes gone and only trailing by a single goal, Burkina Faso had hopes of forcing extra time or even penalties if Mali failed to extend their lead.
However, Mali regrouped defensively, ensuring they held onto their lead and ultimately sending Burkina Faso packing.
The winners are set to face Ivory Coast in the quarterfinals on February 3, 2024.
Meanwhile, Morocco vs South Africa witnessed waves of shock as Bafana Bafana secured their place in the AFCON quarter finals by defeating Morocco 0-2.
This unpredictable AFCON season sees Bafana Bafana showcasing remarkable potential as they advance to the quarterfinals.
Yet, the victors must bring their A-game as they face Cape Verde on Saturday.
WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.
Comments