AFCON: Burkina Faso coach blames exit on missing key players

Burkina Faso national team coach Brama Traoré blamed the team’s exit from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) at the Round of 16 stage to missing key players against Ivory Coast on Tuesday.

The African champions kept their quest for back-to-back AFCON titles as they qualified for quarterfinals following a commanding 3-0 victory over the Stallions at Stade de Marrakech.

Amad Diallo opened the scoring and provided an assist for the second goal to set the Elephants to an emphatic win in the West African derby. Diallo put them ahead after pouncing a loose ball inside the area.

Twelve minutes later, Diallo turned provider with a moment of quality. He delivered a low, inviting cross across the face of goal for Ousmane Diomandé, who took a composed first touch before drilling a low finish past the goalkeeper to double the advantage.

Diomandé scored the third after he latched onto a precise pass from Odilon Kossounou before finishing confidently at the near post.

Burkina Faso were not good enough

“Unfortunately, things did not work out for us tonight. We were weakened by several key absences, and that was evident on the pitch,” said Traoré as quoted by CAF Media.

“When you are without three important players, you inevitably feel that something is missing. From a tactical point of view, we were not good enough. The system we put in place did not work, and I take full responsibility for that.”

Ivory Coast will now face Egypt in the last eight while the Stallions’ journey came to an end.