Sports
AFCON Semi-Final: How Senegal Devoured Burkina Faso
By Eze Dike
Senegal on Wednesday roared past Burkina Faso to book a place in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON 2021 at a thrilling semi-final tie at the Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Burkina Faso made their intentions clear from the onset as they maintained a strong defensive set up at the start of the game. They repelled everything Senegal threw at them for the first 20 minutes, but the Senegalese were keen on getting the first goal of the game before halftime.
That desire was evident as they created loads of chances but could not convert. Two penalty incidents in favour of Senegal followed, but a combined effort of good officiating and VAR denied them. A goalless first half was the result at halftime but it didn’t tell the real story as Burkina Faso were on the receiving end of total domination.
The Lions of Teranga came out roaring in the second half and the breakthrough came for them in 70th minute when Paris Saint Germain full back Abdou Diallo was on the end of a resulting corner kick and tucked home the first goal of the game.
Momentum continued to grow for Senegal and six minutes later, Sadio Mane who was the architect of his team’s play throughout, stole the ball from the opponent to set up Idrissa Gueye for a tap in. Burkina Faso looked lost but Ibrahim Toure gave them a lifeline with a slick touch in the opponent box to score. Mane was at the thick of things again and he capped off his inspiring performance with a breakaway goal to make it 3-1 for Senegal.
A deserved win for Senegal over Burkina Faso as they reach the final of the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON for the second consecutive edition, and this time they will be looking to make up for the disappointment of a loss in the Final to Algeria in 2019. They await Cameroon or Egypt who go head to head in the second Semifinal to book a place in the Final on February 6th at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde.
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