Burkina Faso 1-3 Senegal
Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaounde
(Abdou Diallo 70′, Idrissa Gueye 76′, Blati Toure 82′, Sadio Mane 87′)
Sadio Mane handed Senegal the victory in Wednesday’s 3-1 win in opposition to Burkina Faso to achieve the ultimate of the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Liverpool star arrange an help for Idrissa Gana Gueye earlier than scoring the third aim after the Stallions had received one again by means of Blati Toure. Defender Abdou Diallo opened the scoring for Senegal.
The Teranga Lions have now reached their second straight last. After shedding 1-0 to Algeria in 2019, they’ll hope to go one higher this yr by clinching the title in Sunday’s last in opposition to both hosts Cameroon or Egypt.
Senegal are the one workforce within the competitors’s historical past to have performed two last matches and not using a win. They first reached the ultimate in 2002 the place they misplaced by way of penalties to Cameroon. This present squad is coached by Aliou Cisse, a member of that unfortunate facet that misplaced 20 years in the past.
Cisse additionally led them to the ultimate three years in the past and can hope that this yr proves extra rewarding for his workforce.
Sadio Mane’s affect
The Liverpool star has proven simply how essential he’s to the Senegal nationwide workforce. After scoring their solely aim within the group levels, he suffered a nasty head conflict with the Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha of their spherical of 16 sport, earlier than occurring to attain the winner.
Sadi Mane has been a drive for Senegal
Senegal didn’t relaxation him for his or her quarter last sport the place they beat Equatorial Guinea 3-1. Through the match, Senegal additionally conceded their first aim of the competitors, with Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy lastly crushed.
And within the semifinal, Mane got here by means of as soon as once more, main up entrance and offering an outlet for his facet. He supplied the go-ahead help after which scored the successful aim at a second when it appeared that Burkina Faso have been discovering a brand new wind — spurred on by their first aim of the sport.
“We knew that the match wouldn’t be simple, it’s powerful dealing with a workforce like Burkina Faso within the semifinal of the Africa Cup of Nations,” Mane mentioned after receiving his man-of-the-match prize. “However we took our probabilities and have been rewarded, and I believe we deserved the victory. I hope we win the ultimate. We need to win it.”
‘Disappointing outcome’ for Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso captain Bertrand Traore reduce a tragic determine after the sport. Shoulders flattened by the burden of unreachable expectations; the Aston Villa striker gave his greatest for the workforce. He pushed them to attain their lone aim after his run freed up Issa Kabore to tug within the cross that Blati Toure transformed off his knee.
Burkina Faso’s ahead Bertrand Traore (L), mentioned he was disillusioned with the outcome, however that the workforce hopes to win the third-place sport
After the political upheaval again dwelling that noticed the overthrow of President Roch Marc Christian Kabore and the suspension of the nation from the ECOWAS throughout this match, the Stallions have been hoping to deliver some cheer again to their nation. Alas, it was to not be.
“All of the nation hoped that we’d get to the ultimate. We’re unhappy for ourselves and our households and our nation,” Traore mentioned.
“It was a tough match, it was very sophisticated for us. I believe there are quite a lot of positives we are able to take away from the sport. We nonetheless have a possibility to win the third-place sport,” he mentioned.
“It was a disappointing outcome for us, we needed to get by means of to the ultimate. At this stage of the competitors should you make errors, you’ll get punished. We’re down however there’s an opportunity to get third place. We are going to communicate to ourselves and preserve our heads up,” Traore added.
Edited by: Rebecca Staudenmaier