Burkina Faso became the first team to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco after defeating Burundi 2-0 on Sunday. Former Aston Villa player Bertrand Traore, now at Ajax, scored in the match, coming off the bench to convert a penalty during injury time in the Group L qualifier.
The Stallions took the lead early on, with Mohamed Konate, currently playing in Saudi Arabia, scoring just five minutes into the game in Abidjan. Konate has had a varied career, having represented nine different clubs over nine years as a professional.
The match marked Burkina Faso’s second victory over Burundi in just three days, following a 4-1 win in a previous round also held in Abidjan. Due to the lack of international-standard stadiums, both teams have been playing their home matches in Ivory Coast.
The qualification campaign represents a significant recovery for Burkina Faso after a disappointing 2024 AFCON performance where they were eliminated in the last 16 by Mali with a 2-1 defeat. Following the tournament, French coach Hubert Velud was replaced by Brama Traore, who has since led the team to impressive results, including a draw with Senegal and wins against Malawi and Burundi.
Currently leading Group L with 10 points, Burkina Faso is ahead of Senegal (7 points), Burundi (3 points), and Malawi (0 points). Senegal could also secure their place in Morocco next year if they win against Malawi on Tuesday.
This will mark Burkina Faso’s 14th AFCON appearance. Their best achievement in the tournament came 11 years ago when they were runners-up to Nigeria in South Africa.
Additional qualifiers are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, with the final two matchdays taking place from 11-19 November. While Morocco will automatically participate as the host nation, they are also competing in the qualifiers to maintain match fitness.
