Burkina Faso delivered a ruthless performance in the quarter-finals of the U17 Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday, thrashing Zambia 6-1 to storm into the semi-finals of the tournament in Morocco.
The young Stallions wasted no time asserting their authority, opening the scoring in just the 11th minute through Fofana.
A composed penalty conversion by Tapsoba ten minutes later doubled their advantage, putting them firmly in control of the encounter.
Zambia briefly offered resistance when Nyirongo pulled one back in the 35th minute, injecting a glimmer of hope for the Chipolopolo. But that was as close as they came.
Burkina Faso reasserted their grip on the match after the break and never looked back.
Diakité stepped up with a clinical brace, extending the lead and crushing any prospect of a Zambian comeback.
Tapsoba then returned to centre stage, completing his hat-trick with two more goals, including a second from the penalty spot, to round off a dominant display from the West Africans.
Already assured of a place at the U17 World Cup following their group stage heroics, Burkina Faso have underlined their title credentials with another emphatic win.
Their quarter-final triumph not only sees them through to the final four but also sends a strong message to the remaining contenders.
This resounding result continues what has been a flawless campaign so far for the Stallions, who finished top of their group with a perfect record.
With a potent attack and a disciplined defence, they are emerging as one of the standout teams in this 15th edition of the tournament.
As they await their semi-final opponents, Burkina Faso’s young stars have shown they are more than ready for the challenges ahead.
Their latest victory, marked by composure, technical brilliance, and clinical finishing, signals a squad peaking at just the right moment.
