By Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line
…Sets up Quarterfinal against Egypt on January 10 at 8.00pm . . .
AFRCAN CUP Of Nations (AFCON) Defending Champions Elephants of Ivory Coast on Tuesday night eased out the Stallions of Burkina Faso in a show of supremacy shooting out the Burkina Babes 3-0 in the round of 16 matches played in Marrakesh, Morocco.
Manchester United teenager 23-year-old Amad Diallo shown like a Northern star as he youthfully dribbles all comes reminding us how legendary Pele of Brazil played at the 1958 world cup when he was 17 years even dribbling the goal post.
Amad scored the curtain raiser in the 20th minute his 3rd goal in the tournament and the Stallion defenders stood looking at his legs instead of his person.
In the 25th minute of play, Diallo again dribbled all but found Yan Diomande to score the 2nd goal for the defending champions and then midfielder Bazamana Toure came dribbling from the left flank in a solo run to show the world that Burkina Faso players were not in the game today at all. It was a terrible outing for the Stallions.
Ivory Coast will now meet Egypt in the quarterfinals on Saturday 10th at 8pm.
Defending Champions Elephants of Ivory Coast won two of the three in the group games piping Mozambique by a lone goal; drew 1-1 with Cameroon and beet Gabon 3-2.
Stallions of Burkina Faso won two of their three group games as the team stamped on Equatorial Guinea 2-1; lost to Algeria 0-1 and dismissed Sudan 2-0.
The West African neighbors met 10 times with Ivory Coast winning 5 games; Burkina Faso won 2 and there were 3 draws. Of the 22 goals scored Ivory Coast scored 15. They met twice at AFCON where The Ivoirians won one and drew the other. Highest scores was the 5-0 white wash given Stallions 0n 5th September 2009.
The Elephants ranked 42 in the world has been at the party 26 times since 1965 and won the title three times in 1992, 2015 and 2023. They won Silver in 2015, won Bronze thrice in 1965, 1968, 1986;placed 4th twice in 1970 and 2008.
The Stallions formerly Upper Volta before changing to Burkina Faso ranked 62 in the world is making her 14th appearances though never won the title but won the Silver in 2013 got the Bronze in 2017 and placed 4th in 2021.
The quarterfinalists are now here, and the fixtures will be as follows:
Mali vs Senegal at 5.00pm on Friday 9th January.
Cameroon vs Morocco at 8.00pm on Friday 9th January,
Nigeria vs Algeria at 5.00pm on Saturday 10th January.
Egypt vs Winner CIV/BFA at 8.00pm on Saturday 10th January.
#AFCON25 #CAF #FRMF #FMF #SAFA
#FEBEFOOT #TFF#FECAFOOT #SFA
#FAFA #EFA #NFF.
