Burundi’s national team will be without Saido Berahino for their upcoming AFCON 2025 qualifiers, following an injury that has ruled out the forward from participating in the November fixtures. Berahino, who plays for Rajasthan United FC in India, was initially named among the squad for Burundi’s next two critical qualifying matches, but an unfortunate back injury sustained during training has since sidelined him.
On Tuesday, the Burundi Football Federation officially confirmed Berahino’s absence, marking a significant alteration to coach Patrick Sangwa’s roster.
The setback has forced Sangwa to make a second change to his squad ahead of the double-header against Malawi and Senegal. To address the gap in the squad, the Burundian coach has called up Shaban Hussein Tshabalala as Berahino’s replacement.
Berahino’s injury came during a recent training session with his club, Rajasthan United FC, where he reportedly suffered a back strain.
The injury required immediate attention, and he was subsequently withdrawn from team activities, making him unavailable for the national call-up.
The 31-year-old forward’s condition and projected recovery timeline make him unfit for competitive play in the short term, ruling him out for Burundi’s final two fixtures in the AFCON 2025 qualifying campaign.
The national team management wasted no time in finding a replacement, with Shaban Hussein Tshabalala now set to fill the position left vacant by Berahino’s withdrawal.
Tshabalala, known for his offensive agility, will be eager to make an impact as Burundi attempts to strengthen their standing in the qualifiers.
Burundi’s upcoming fixtures mark the final stretch of the AFCON 2025 qualifying stage, and they will be aiming to secure a strong finish.
Their first match will see them face Malawi on November 14, followed by a challenging encounter against Senegal on November 19.
Both games are expected to be decisive, not only for Burundi’s hopes of progressing but also for assessing the effectiveness of coach Patrick Sangwa’s squad adjustments, particularly in Berahino’s absence.
As Burundi prepares to compete without one of their most experienced strikers, the addition of Tshabalala may bring a different dynamic to their forward line.
Coach Sangwa will likely look to his newly reshuffled attack to compensate for the loss and maintain Burundi’s competitive edge in these crucial fixtures.
