Burkina Faso seek Group F advantage against Mauritania in 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier

Burkina Faso host Mauritania at the Stade du 4-Aout in Ouagadougou on Friday, 13 November 2026, aiming to strengthen their position in Group F of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The match, which kicks off at 16:00 GMT, brings together Burkina Faso, second in the group with four points, and Mauritania, who are third with three. Mahamad Sangare, presenter of the sports debate programme La VAR on Burkina info TV, has provided his analysis and predictions for the fixture.

Burkina Faso began their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Benin before beating Central African Republic 1-0 away from home. A second victory would consolidate their place near the top of the group and increase their qualification prospects.

Mauritania opened with a 3-1 win over Central African Republic but lost 2-1 to Benin in their second match. The Mourabitounes therefore need a positive result in Ouagadougou to remain in contention, while Burkina Faso will look to impose themselves at home.

The Etalons have won two, drawn one and lost two of their past five matches. Their results include a 2-0 victory against Sudan, defeats by Algeria (0-1) and Cote d’Ivoire (0-3), and a 7-0 friendly loss to Argentina on 3 October 2026.

Amir Abdou has recalled defender Issoufou Dayo from international retirement, while Cyriaque Irie, Sacha Banse and Josue Tiendrebeogo also return. Edmond Tapsoba and Nasser Djiga add experience in defence, with Dango Ouattara, Lassina Traore and Georgi Minoungou offering attacking options. Captain Bertrand Traore remains unavailable as he continues his rehabilitation.

Mauritania’s recent record is also mixed. Before this game, Aritz Lopez Garai’s side had recorded two wins, two draws and one defeat in their previous five matches: victory over Central African Republic (3-1), defeat by Benin (1-2), a win against Niger (1-0), a 1-1 draw with Angola and a 1-2 loss to Argentina.

The visitors have shown an ability to create chances, but their defence has been less convincing against opponents able to maintain a high tempo. Their defeat by Benin also highlighted difficulties away from home.

Aboubakary Koita, Djeidi Gassama, Hemeya Tanjy and Idrissa Thiam are among Mauritania’s attacking options. Babacar Niasse is available in goal, while Jordan Lefort, Lamine Ba, Aly Abeid and Khadim Diaw provide defensive experience. Oumar Ngom, Abdallahi Mahmoud and Mohsine Boddah are midfield options. Attacking midfielder Beyatt Lekoueiry is a major doubt after suffering a cruciate ligament rupture.

Burkina Faso have the better record in the last six meetings, with three wins, one draw and two defeats. Across their last five encounters, Burkina Faso have won three and Mauritania two, with no draws. Burkina Faso average two goals at home, while Mauritania average 0.75 away. The average number of first-half goals in meetings between the teams is one, and their matches average two goals in total.

The listed betting prices include Burkina Faso to win at 1.53, over 1.5 match goals at 1.43, Mauritania to score over 0.5 goals at 2.04, Dango Ouattara to score at 2.80 and over 7.5 corners at 1.44.

The prediction is for a Burkina Faso victory at 1.53, fewer than 2.5 goals at 1.53, more than 7.5 corners at 1.44, and Dango Ouattara to score at 2.80. The projected exact score is Burkina Faso 2-1 Mauritania, priced at 8.00. The odds may change.