After their respective draws on the first day, and with the Nigeria-Zambia match ending in a 1-1 draw, Ethiopia and Burkina Faso have a chance to strengthen their position in the group standings. The winner of this match would take a significant step toward qualification.
Ethiopia, who surprised everyone with their performance against the reigning champions Zambia, is looking to replicate that success. Coach Sewnet Bishaw expresses his hope for a similar performance, stating, “The players showed their character and showed the rest of the world that they know how to play football.”
Ethiopia starts the match energetically, with an early offensive move in the 5th minute, creating a scoring opportunity that hits the right post. Despite their efforts to play a calm and composed game, the Ethiopian team lacks a prominent striker to exert sustained pressure on the opponent’s defense.
In the 22nd minute, Burkina Faso appears to score, but the goal is disallowed due to an offside position. As the match progresses, the Stallions gain control and become more threatening, with Sanou’s runs on the left side causing trouble for the Ethiopian defense.
Burkina Faso breaks the deadlock in the 34th minute, with Kaboré delivering a precise cross into the Ethiopian area. Alain Traoré controls the ball and scores with a powerful right-footed shot, putting Burkina Faso in the lead 1-0.
