Football: Burkina Faso comes close to victory but settles for a 2-2 draw against Sierra Leone

The Stallions of Burkina Faso had a golden chance to move closer to the top of Group A, especially after the Pharaohs’ draw in Guinea-Bissau. Unfortunately, despite a promising start, Brama Traoré’s men let a comfortable lead slip away, ultimately conceding a 2-2 draw.

The first forty minutes were a real battle, with none of the Burkinabe attackers managing to break through despite several chances. However, just before halftime, Dango Ouattara opened the scoring for Burkina Faso, quickly followed by a successfully converted penalty by Franck Lassina Traoré, giving the team a two-goal lead at the break.

Upon returning from the break, the Burkinabe team seemed to ease off, allowing Sierra Leone to score quickly and reduce the gap to 2-1. The Leone Stars then put immense pressure on Burkina Faso’s defense, coming close to equalizing several times, including a shot that hit the crossbar.

Finally, in the closing minutes of the match, a moment of brilliance from Amadou Bakayoko allowed Sierra Leone to equalize, leaving Burkina Faso with a bitter sense of disappointment. This draw means Burkina Faso now occupies the 3rd place in Group A after two qualifying rounds in June 2024, missing a valuable opportunity to move closer to the top of the standings.

Pascal Amstrong