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- Traore scores late penalty to give Burkina Faso victory
Traore scores late penalty to give Burkina Faso victory
Bertrand Traore scored a late penalty as Burkina Faso snatched a 1-0 victory over Mauritania in its Africa Cup of Nations opener.
Aston Villa’s Traore, a former Chelsea forward who is currently on loan at Istanbul Basaksehir, netted in stoppage-time to decide the Group D game in Bouake.
Mauritania, making its third appearance at the tournament, wasere denied on two occasions in the first half as Burkina Faso goalkeeper Herve Koffi kept out efforts from striker Aboubakary Koita.
Mauritania has only scored one goal in the history of the tournament and its goalless run since 2019 continued when Koffi denied Sidi Amar in the second period, before Traore settled the contest late on.
The game’s first chance fell to Koita, who drilled straight into the grasp of Koffi six minutes in.
Burkina Faso produced its first strike on target 10 minutes later when Mohamed Konate rose highest from a free-kick but saw his header comfortably saved by Babacar Niasse.
Mauritania was looking for its first win in the competition and came close to the opener half an hour in when Koffi was wrong-footed by a Koita free-kick but recovered to tip the ball over the bar for a corner.
Mauritania, ranked 48 places below its opponent in the FIFA rankings, threatened again through Hemeya Tanjy but his effort from outside the area was saved.
Burkina Faso started the second period with a little more zest and had a chance when Stephane Aziz Ki received a ball from Issoufou Dayo and shot just wide.
Mauritania almost snatched the lead in superb fashion with 15 minutes to go when substitute Amar twisted and turned outside the box before unleashing an effort towards goal which was tipped wide by Koffi.
Burkina Faso, which had scored in its previous 14 AFCON matches, was next to threaten when Traore’s curling strike was plucked out of the top corner by goalkeeper Niasse.
It was given the chance to make the decisive breakthrough in added time after a VAR check, after Nouh El Abd brought Issa Kabore down inside the box.
Traore, a 73rd-minute substitute, stepped up and slammed the ball home to ensure a first win in his nation's opening game of the tournament in 13 attempts for Burkina Faso.
