Burkina Faso emerged victorious against Mauritania in a thrilling match, with the help of VAR in the ongoing 2023 African Cup of Nations.
The game took place at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké, concluding the Group D action. Initially, it seemed like the match would end in a goalless draw, which would have been beneficial for Algeria and Angola, who had a one-all draw in their game.
However, Burkina Faso managed to secure a 1-0 win thanks to Bertrand Traore, who came off the bench and inspired his team to victory.
In the 90th minute, the video assistant referee was consulted after Nouh Mohamed El Abd fouled Issa Kabore in the penalty area. After reviewing different camera angles, the referee awarded Burkina Faso a penalty kick.
Traore took on the responsibility and successfully converted the penalty from 12 yards.
Mauritania appeared to be on track to earn a point after putting in a lot of effort to defend against Burkina Faso’s continuous attacks. However, El Abd made a reckless tackle that resulted in Mauritania conceding a penalty, which ultimately led to Burkina Faso winning the match.
In the second half, the former Chelsea player made a significant impact by initiating and being involved in many of Burkina Faso’s attacking plays. In addition to scoring the penalty, he had several opportunities to score during the match, but Mauritania’s goalkeeper, Babacar Niasse, proved unbeatable in open play.
Mauritania is participating in the Afcon for the third time, having made its debut in 2019 and 2021. However, they have never progressed beyond the group stages and have only managed to score one goal so far.
On the other hand, Burkina Faso has won their first match in every Afcon tournament they have taken part in. Additionally, they have scored in 15 consecutive Afcon games.
Mauritania will aim to bounce back and secure a victory against Angola, while Burkina Faso will face Algeria, the winners of the 2019 Afcon. Both matches are scheduled for January 20.
