Senegal advanced to their first-ever TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday at the 19 May 1956 Stadium in Annaba by defeating Burkina Faso 5-4 after a tense penalty shootout.
After missing a late-game penalty kick, captain Amara Diouf made up for it by scoring the fifth and winning penalty for the Senegalese. Senegal was awarded the victory after Souleymane Alio of Burkina Faso sent his kick crashing against the crossbar.
Burkina Faso’s 84th-minute equalizer forced a 1-1 draw in normal time, forcing the game to penalties.
Senegal scored on penalties through Serigne Fallou Diouf, Pierre Dorival, Ibrahima Sory, and Mamadou Sawane. Diouf then stepped up to score the game-winning goal.
Arouna Ouattara, Idrissa Sore, and Landry Yameogo scored the following three goals for Burkina Faso before Alio’s shot hit the crossbar. Emmanuel Ouedraogo had earlier scored the late equalizer.
The Teranga Cubs had taken the lead in the 15th minute thanks to Abdou Aziz Fall. Papa Ndiaye and Mamadou Sadio saw their attempts from within the area well saved by the Burkinabe goalkeeper Isidore Traore before the midfielder tapped home with a low strike.
Aboubacar Camara scored four minutes after the Senegalese had just escaped danger, reacting just in time at the backpost to Ousmane Camara’s defense-splitting ball.
Burkina Faso were faster off the blocks, but conceding the goal hugely punctured their fight. After conceding, they struggled to get their feet back on. Senegal had a chance in the 22nd minute when skipper Amara Diouf stepped behind a freekick, but he curled his effort inches wide.
With a minute to the break, Burkina Faso almost drew level when Ousmane ran on to a cross from the left, but his glancing header was inches wide with the keeper beaten.
In the second half, Senegal should have sealed the victory, but skipper Diouf missed from the penalty spot.
Aly Sokondou had been adjudged to have handled the ball as he went to the floor to block Papa Ndiaye’s shot. The referee had to refer to the pitchside VAR monitor before he confirmed the penalty.
Burkina Faso was greatly inspired by the miss, and they pressured Senegal on their own territory. With six minutes remaining, they were eventually rewarded when Ouedraogo hammered in a low strike from the edge of the box.
Senegal rallied some last-ditch effort to try and win the game at the buzzer, but penalties had to be used.
