Burkina Faso has taken a significant step toward qualifying for the World Cup with a 3-2 victory against Algeria in the first leg of the qualifying play-offs. The match, filled with twists and turns in the second half, saw goals from Jonathan Pitroipa (45th minute), Djakaridja Kone (65th minute), and Aristide Bancé (86th minute, penalty) for the home team. Notably, Bancé had missed a penalty earlier in the match. Algeria found the net through Sofiane Feghouli (50th minute) and Carl Medjani (59th minute).
Despite Algeria’s overall dominance in the game, Burkina Faso demonstrated greater efficiency. The return match in Blida is expected to be intense, as Algeria now needs a win to secure qualification for the 2014 World Cup.
Soudani, the Fennecs striker, acknowledged the challenging mission against Burkina Faso, emphasizing the adverse weather conditions. He expressed disappointment with the match referee’s decisions, claiming the denial of two valid penalties and the awarding of an imaginary penalty to the opposing team. However, Soudani remains confident and promises the supporters that Algeria will qualify for the World Cup, expressing hope with the term “inshallah” meaning “God willing” in Arabic. The return leg is anticipated to be a crucial showdown for both teams.
