Burkina Faso and Algeria stormed through their matches, proving themselves as contenders for the AFCON title.
Algeria vs Togo
One of the tournament’s strongest teams, Algeria, defeated their closest group rival with a 5-goal victory. In the 11th minute, Togo took the lead with a goal from midfielder Thibault Klidje, but as the match progressed, they lost control. Algeria responded to this goal in the 29th minute with a goal from the star of the match, Said Benrahma. Benrahma then scored his second and the team’s second goal with a penalty in the 55th minute.
Algeria seemed to have stepped onto the field determined to show no mercy to their opponent. In the 68th minute, Houssem Aouar made it 3-1, and with goals from Amine Gouri in the 86th minute and Muhammed el Amine Amoura in the 90+5, the match ended 5-1. Algeria, showcasing their strength against other teams in the tournament, solidified their position as group leaders with 3 wins in 3 matches, despite not being able to field many of their star players.
Burkina Faso vs Burundi
Meanwhile, Burkina Faso delivered a similarly impressive performance, defeating Burundi with a resounding victory. With this win, they proved that their strong showing against Senegal was no mere fluke. Like Algeria, Burkina Faso conceded the first goal. Burundi’s only goal came in the 4th minute from forward Bienvenue Kanakimana.
However, Burkina Faso quickly responded with back-to-back goals in the 33rd minute from Dango Ouattara and in the 34th minute from Sacha Banse. The match’s best player, Dango Ouattara, extended the lead in the 44th minute, and Issoufou Dayo delivered the final blow to Burundi with a goal in the 49th minute. Scoring 4 goals in just 15 minutes, Burkina Faso crushed their opponent’s morale and won 4-1. This result placed Burkina Faso at the top of the group with 7 points, although Senegal has one game in hand. For Burundi, however, not everything is over just yet.
