U17 World Cup: Burkina Faso’s junior team reaches quarter-finals
Burkina Faso’s U17 national team, the Cadet Stallions, secured their place in the quarter-finals of the FIFA U17 World Cup on Tuesday with a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Uganda.
The match at the Aspire Zone Pitch 5 ended 1-1 after regular time, forcing the decisive penalty kicks, which Burkina Faso won 5-3.
Uganda applied significant physical pressure early on, but the Burkinabe side grew into the game. Uganda took the lead in the 56th minute through a goal from Nkoola Arafat, capitalizing on a defensive error.
The Stallions fought back, with Alassana Bagayogo scoring the equalizer in the 77th minute, assisted by Mohamed Zongo, who was named man of the match for the second time in the tournament.
Despite Burkina Faso’s dominance in the latter stages, no winning goal was found, leading to the flawless penalty shootout performance.
Coach Oscar Barro expressed satisfaction with his team’s resilience against a physical opponent. Captain Chérif Barro shared the squad’s immense joy and their dream of winning the trophy.
The Cadet Stallions will now face Italy’s U17 squad on November 21st for a spot in the semi-finals. This marks the third appearance of Burkina Faso in the knockout stages of a U17 World Cup, as this ambitious generation continues its quest for a historic achievement.
