Burkina Faso’s Stallions secured a deserved victory against Togo’s Sparrowhawks, earning them a spot in the semi-finals of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN). Despite the absence of Burkina Faso’s striker Alain Traoré, the team performed well, and the attacking midfielder Jonathan Pitroipa played a crucial role. Pitroipa, named the man of the match by africatopsports, proved to be the savior for Burkina Faso.
The decisive moment came in the 105th minute when Pitroipa intercepted the ball at the near post, beating Togo’s goalkeeper Agassa, who was anticipating a play at the far post. This victory marked Burkina Faso’s qualification for the semi-finals, the second time in the country’s history after the 1998 CAN, which they hosted. On the other hand, Togo, which had shown signs of promise in the group stage, struggled during the match, with captain Adebayor unable to capitalize on the few scoring opportunities.
