Burkina Faso guide second place in Group E at the Africa Cup of Nations with a 2-0 win over Sudan.
Sudan should face 2022 champions Senegal within the final 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations after dropping 2-0 to Burkina Faso of their remaining group recreation, whereas Algeria beat Equatorial Guinea 3-1.
Lassina Traore’s early strike put Burkina Faso forward on the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca on Wednesday, earlier than Algozoli Nooh squandered the prospect to equalise for Sudan when he put a penalty huge.
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Arsene Kouassi, of French Ligue 1 facet Lorient, sealed Burkina Faso’s win late on.
Each groups had already certified for the knockout stage from Group E behind Algeria. Burkina Faso merely wanted to keep away from defeat with a view to advance in second place.
The 2013 runners-up will go to Marrakesh for a last-16 tie towards the winners of Group F, which concludes afterward Wednesday with reigning champions Ivory Coast vying for prime spot alongside Cameroon and Mozambique.
It was Sudan’s second defeat in three outings, however a 1-0 victory towards Equatorial Guinea was sufficient for them to advance as among the finest third-placed sides.
Ranked 117th on the earth, Sudan have received simply two of 19 matches throughout six appearances on the Cup of Nations since lifting the trophy in 1970.
That is simply their second look within the knockout phases since then, and it might be an enormous shock in the event that they acquired the higher of Sadio Mane’s Senegal in Tangier on Saturday.
Nonetheless, getting up to now is a serious achievement for a rustic which has been ravaged by war since preventing broke out between Sudan’s military and the paramilitary Speedy Help Forces in April 2023.
Shakhtar Donetsk ahead Traore headed in from Stephane Aziz Ki’s chipped cross on 16 minutes to open the scoring for a Burkina Faso facet displaying seven modifications from their final recreation.
Sudan have been awarded a penalty halfway by way of the primary half to the delight of their followers, who made up nearly all of the ten,084 crowd.
Burkina Faso goalkeeper Herve Koffi, who was fighting an harm, clumsily rushed out and introduced down Algozoli.
The Sudan winger acquired up however solely succeeded in placing the spot-kick huge of the left-hand publish.
The injured Koffi was substituted at half-time, however substitute goalkeeper Kilian Nikiema was hardly ever troubled, and Kouassi broke into the world to make it 2-0 for Burkina Faso on 85 minutes.
In the meantime, Algeria accomplished the group stage with an ideal report because the two-time former champions eased previous Equatorial Guinea in Rabat.
With Algeria already by way of as Group E winners and Equatorial Guinea eradicated, nothing was driving on the sport in Morocco’s capital.
Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic made 9 modifications to his beginning lineup, with a last-16 tie to return towards the Democratic Republic of Congo subsequent Tuesday.
Regardless of the modifications, Algeria ran away with the sport, scoring 3 times in 14 first-half minutes.
Defender Zineddine Belaid headed within the opener from a nook on 19 minutes, earlier than Ibrahim Maza launched Fares Chaibi to make it 2-0.
The spectacular Maza, of Bayer Leverkusen, then headed in his workforce’s third, with Emilio Nsue pulling one again for Equatorial Guinea.
It was Nsue’s first authorized begin on the Africa Cup of Nations after an 11-year ineligible profession with Equatorial Guinea.
The 35-year-old Nsue was the highest scorer with 5 objectives on the final version of the event, however FIFA in 2024 dominated that he was by no means eligible to play for Equatorial Guinea, and it banned him from taking part in for the nationwide workforce for six months.
Nsue was lastly cleared to play in March this yr.
He had an harm going to the Africa Cup and missed his workforce’s opening 2-1 loss to Burkina Faso earlier than approaching as an alternative within the 1-0 defeat to Sudan. He made his first begin towards Algeria on Wednesday and scored from a troublesome angle to tug a purpose again.
It was certain to be Nsue’s final look at this version – Equatorial Guinea have been already assured of ending backside of Group E earlier than the sport.
