Burkina Faso is on fire ahead of Afcon 2015
The Stallions made they beat Swaziland in a warm-up match and face Botswana at Mbombela Stadium tonight.
MBOMBELA – The Afcon warm-up played at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday night was anything but friendly. The West African team trumped the “local” team Swaziland by 5 goals to 1.
The game was a warm-up for the Afcon 2015 campaign of the 2013 runners-up. Two years ago when Mbombela co-hosted the tournament, the Stallions exceeded expectations and if they play as they did this weekend, they may just make it to another final in the tournament.
Coach Paul Put said he had trained his players very hard ahead of Saturday’s match and was curious to see how they would perform on the field. He could not have been disappointed with the result.
Swaziland kicked off the game with guns blazing, scoring a surprise goal in the eighth minute. Mkhontfo Mthunzi found the right corner of the net, surprising the Stallions keeper who didn’t even move from his position.
This seemed to wake up Burkina Faso who equalised five minutes later. Swaziland got another shot at goal in the 22nd minute, but it went wide and they never retained control of the game.
Burkina Faso, however, missed two strikes in open play as well as a free kick that went into the wall, and it wasn’t until the last minute of the first half that they were awarded another goal off the boot of Swaziland defender Maqhawe Dlamini.
Aside from their own goal, Swaziland defended very well throughout the first half. They looked dangerous in their half but failed to pull through, allowing the Stallions to go into the break leading 2-1.
In the second half Burkina Faso upped their game and outplayed Swaziland who could not keep up. Mohammed Kofi scored from a corner and Bertram Traore from open play.
At the beginning of the second half Put made various substitutions, bringing on star player Aristide Bancé. He initially missed a free kick but netted one late in the match to clinch the game.
The Stallions take on Botswana in another friendly at the stadium at 17:00 today.
See more pictures here and read a full interview with coach Paul Put here.
