CAF African Nations Championship
Result: Burkina Faso 1-1 Morocco
Date: 16 January 2013
Venue: Athlone Stadium
Morocco’s Brahim El Bahri’s goal in the opening minute of the match was cancelled out by Burkina Faso’s Bassirou Ouedraogo goal two minutes from time as their Group B CAF African Nations Championship match ended 1-1 at the Athlone Stadium on Thursday night.
The draw means Morocco are second in the group on two points while Burkina Faso prop up the bottom with a single point.
It was a blistering start to the game by Morocco who opened the scoring after only 50 seconds as Brahim El Bahri got onto a delightful cross from Abdelkbir El Ouadi at the back post, superbly volleying the ball home, 1-0.
Burkina Faso tried to hit back immediately, but Youssouf Kabore fired just wide from the edge of the box with the goal at his mercy in the fourth minute.
In the 11th minute El Bahri was in the thick of the action with a powerful attempt on goal, but the Burkina Faso keeper made a good save down low and to his left.
Eight minutes later Issoufou Dayo squandered a great chance to level matters for Burkina Faso when he met a cross with strong header, but his effort went wide of the goal.
In the 26th minute El Bahri should have made it two for Morocco after working his way into the box, beating a couple of defenders with some fine skill before curling his shot narrowly wide of the target.
Burkina Faso had the last say of the half as Valentin Zoungrana found himself through on goal in the dying seconds of the stanza, but he shot straight at the keeper.
The start of the second 45 saw Morocco controlling the possession stakes and they created the first chance of the half in the 56th minute as El Ouadi fluffed a shot from just inside the box wide of the goal.
Burkina Faso’s first chance of the second stanza came in the 70th minute as Youssouf Kabore fired a long range effort inches over the crossbar.
When all seemed lost for Burkina Faso, Bassirou Ouedraogo found the back of the net for his country two minutes from time to steal a share of the points as the game ended 1-1.
