Benin and Burkina Faso will face off this Friday in Kinshasa, in the semifinals of the Francophonie Games in the DRC. It’s a decisive clash for both teams who dream of reaching the final.
The semifinals of the Francophonie Games take center stage on Friday with two matches on the schedule. While Cameroon and Niger, tied in Group C, will meet for a new round, the other match will pit Benin against Burkina Faso.
Both teams have qualified for the last four without playing a minute, as their opponent Mali withdrew, and they come off successful performances in the group stage. The Guépards recorded a convincing victory against the host Congo (2-0). On the other hand, the Etalons U20 defeated Senegal (1-0) and Congo (1-0) to secure their spot in the semifinals.
This West African showdown promises to be epic, with both teams eager to lift the trophy. “Our goal in coming to Kinshasa is to win the trophy and take the gold medal. We had the Abidjan tournament to prepare ourselves. The young players made a good start in the competition against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and we will approach the other matches with the same morale. We must remain focused,” said Mathias Déguénon, the coach of the Benin team.
Burkina Faso shares the same ambition, hoping to redeem themselves after losing the final of the Coupe des Nations UFOA B U20 in Ivory Coast. So, the showdown is set for this afternoon, starting from 4:00 PM, when we’ll know the verdict.
