The Teranga Lions of Senegal have reached the finals of the AFCON for the second time after failing to win the ultimate in 2019. They secured the massive victory with a 3-1 scoreline.
The game saw a pound for pound action from the two opponents until the breakthrough at the 70th minute.
Liverpool star Sadio Mane led his side to annihilate the Stallions with a hard fought.
Herve Koffi, the most trusted goalkeeper for Burkina Faso failed to end the first half following a clash with Cheikhou Kouyate on his comfortable zone. He was replaced by Farid while Kouyate remained to fight for last edition’s finalist.
Senegal appealed for penalty three times in the first half but referee Bamlak Tessema denied all of them after VAR check.
Before the end of the first half, Burkina Faso threatened for large parts of the game but Senegal grew into the competition as Sadio Mane found more space.
The game continued in the second half with the deadlock remaining hard to break until Abdou Diallo’s 70th minute strike.
The Stallions failed to clear a corner, Koulibaly sent it back into the danger zone with an overhead kick, and it fell ti Diallo, who kept his cool to guide it into the net from six yards. Not a particularly artful goal but a very precious one.
Senegal kept on mounting the pressure to get the second goal at the 76th minute.
Mané chases a lost cause, then snatch the ball of a defender on the byline and cut it back to Baba Dieng who connected it to seal the lead.
The Stallions fought back for a consolation through a magnificent strike from Ibrahim Blati Toure during the 82nd minute following a cross from Issah Kabore.
Senegal rally to claim the massive 3-1 victory after Sadio Mane converted with a classic goal, making it three to cut the way short.
Burkina Faso defied the odds to reach the last four of the tournament, having bounced back from defeat in their opening group game against hosts Cameroon. Hassane Bande’s strike against Cape Verde ensured all three points before a draw in their final group game against Ethiopia was enough to secure their place in the round of 16. Kamou Malo’s side then edged a nail-biting penalty shootout against Gabon before stunning Tunisia 1-0 in the quarter-finals.
Senegal started the tournament somewhat sluggishly, relying on a last-gasp Sadio Mane penalty to see off Zimbabwe in their opening match. Two goalless draws, against Guinea and Malawi, did little to raise morale but still made sure of the Lions of Teranga’s place in the last-16. Aliou Cisse’s side have come to life in the knockout stages, though, as Mane and Bamba Dieng scored in a 2-0 win against Cape Verde before a 3-1 victory against Equatorial Guinea in the quarter-finals.
Sadio Mane and Mendy’s side will face either Cameroon or Egypt in the final on Sunday at the Olembe Sports Stadium.
