Burkina Faso

Match report

Penalties Decide Draw as Burkina Faso and Benin Share Points

Burkina Faso and Benin played out a 1:1 draw in their AFCON qualification opener in Ouagadougou on Thursday evening. Two penalty kicks, one in each half, separated the sides as neither could find a winner despite creating enough chances. To be fair, the match had its moments of tension, particularly when the second spot-kick was awarded. The hosts took the lead in the twentieth minute when Lassina Traore converted from the spot. Junior Olaitan had already picked up a booking for Benin just before the break, and his teammate would soon see action again when Traore received his own yellow card in the fifty-seventh minute. Burkina Faso kept their heads and pushed forward, but Benin's defence held firm until the penalty area. Rachid Kouda came off for the visitors at half-time, a change that seemed to shift the game slightly. By then Benin had equalised through Aiyegun Tosin, who stepped up to convert in the sixty-eighth minute. The away side had been pinned back for much of the opening half but found a way back into it. Several substitutions followed in quick succession, with both managers looking for fresh legs. Ismaïla Ouédraogo and Axel Sountonoma Taonsa replaced Lassina Traore and another player for Burkina Faso, while Yamirou Ouorou and Rodolfo Aloko came on for Benin. The statistics tell a story of contrasting approaches. Burkina Faso dominated possession at 64 per cent and registered 84 attacks compared to Benin's 82, but the visitors were far more clinical in front of goal. Benin hit the target five times from eight shots, while the hosts managed just two on target from seven attempts. That efficiency gap meant the draw came as little surprise, even if the result felt drawn out. The score leaves both sides with a point from their opening fixture. Burkina Faso will take comfort in their possession dominance, while Benin showed they can raise the tempo when they need to. Neither side has anything to lose at this stage, and the group is still wide open.

Prepared from match data

Key numbers

Possession, % 64 – 36

Shots on target 2 – 5

Shots off target 5 – 3

Attacks 84 – 82

🟨 19' Junior Olaitan — Yellow card ⚽ 20' Lassina Traore — Penalty ⇄ 45' Rachid Kouda — Substitution 🟨 57' Lassina Traore — Yellow card ⚽ 68' Aiyegun Tosin — Penalty ⇄ 71' Lassina Traore — Substitution ⇄ 71' Ismahila Ouédraogo — Substitution ⇄ 72' Axel Sountonoma Taonsa — Substitution ⇄ 80' Yamirou Ouorou — Substitution ⇄ 81' Rodolfo Aloko — Substitution ⇄ 87' Edmond Tapsoba — Substitution ⇄ 88' Aiyegun Tosin — Substitution ⇄ 90+2' Junior Olaitan — Substitution

Match events

19' 0:0 Benin Yellow card Junior Olaitan
20' 1:0 Burkina Faso Penalty Lassina Traore
45' 1:0 Burkina Faso Substitution Rachid Kouda off: Axel Sountonoma Taonsa
57' 1:0 Burkina Faso Yellow card Lassina Traore
68' 1:1 Benin Penalty Aiyegun Tosin
71' 1:1 Burkina Faso Substitution Lassina Traore off: Pierre Landry Kabore
71' 1:1 Burkina Faso Substitution Ismahila Ouédraogo off: Chec Bebel Doumbia
72' 1:1 Burkina Faso Substitution Axel Sountonoma Taonsa off: Moïse Elohim Victoire Kaboré
80' 1:1 Benin Substitution Yamirou Ouorou off: Attidjikou Samadou
81' 1:1 Benin Substitution Rodolfo Aloko off: Olatoundji Tessilimi
87' 1:1 Burkina Faso Substitution Edmond Tapsoba off: Pakwo Abdoul Rachide Gnanou
88' 1:1 Benin Substitution Aiyegun Tosin off: Joseph Oloko Ede
90+2' 1:1 Benin Substitution Junior Olaitan off: Dokou Dodo

Statistics

64 Possession, % 36

2 Shots on target 5

5 Shots off target 3

84 Attacks 82

8 Corners 5

16 Fouls 14

14 Free kicks 16

2 Offsides 0

1 Yellow cards 2

0 Red cards 0

4 Goal kicks 10

16 Throw-ins 19

All statistics

3 Blocked shots 0

46 Failed passes 47

4 Goalkeeper saves 1

0.20 Shot accuracy 0.63

6 Shots from outside the box 1

4 Shots inside the box 7

462 Total passes 268

Line-ups

Starting XI
#	Player	number
16	Hervé Kouakou Koffi	16
5	Yacouba Nasser Djiga	5
9	Issa Kaboré	9
12	Edmond Fayçal Tapsoba	12
26	A. Kouassi	26
8	Lohann Doucet	8
18	Wandepanga Ismahila Ouédraogo	18
20	R. Kudda	20
2	Lassina Chamste Soudine Franck Traoré	2
11	Ousseni Bouda	11
19	G. Minunov	19

Substitutes
#	Player	number
23	Kilian Basba Geeke Nikiéma	23
14	Rashid Gnano	14
22	Arthur Zagré	22
25	M. Ouédraogo	25
3	Abubakar Kamara	3
6	J. Batianno	6
13	Chec Bebel Doumbia	13
21	Taonsa Axel	21
15	Abdoul Fessal Tapsoba	15
17	Moise Kaboré	17
27	Pierre Landry Kaboré	27

Show full squad

Benin

Starting XI
#	Player	number
1	Marcel Dandjinou	1
3	T. Wouru	3
5	Yohan Cédric Benjamin Roche	5
6	Yamiru Wouro	6
15	Sessi D'Almeida	15
8	Imourane Hassane	8
12	K. Azongnitode	12
13	M. Tijani	13
17	R. Aloko	17
18	Junior Olaitan	18
10	Aiyegun Oluwatosin Tosin	10