Today (Amahoro Stadium)

1st semi-final

Burkina Faso vs Congo (3.30pm)-SS9

Wednesday

Rwanda vs Ivory Coast (3.30pm)

BURKINA FASO have already set their sights at playing in the final of this year’s Caf Africa U-17 championship.

The West Africans, who reached the final back in 1999, take on Congo Brazzaville in the first semi-final slated for this afternoon at Amahoro Stadium. Burkina Faso had a slow start but has grown in confidence with every other game.

The team started off with a 1-2 defeat against Rwanda’s junior wasps but regrouped to edge Mali 3-2 before pulling off a shocking 4-0 victory over Egypt to finish top of Group A.

The result left Burkina Faso and Rwanda level on points (six) but the former topped the group on goal difference but the team’s head coach Rui Vieira insists that there is still work to be done.

"Of course we are glad that we qualified for the semi-finals and the World Cup but we are still far from our best and we want to improve,” the Portuguese noted.

"Congo Brazzaville is a very good side with good quality players. They put in a very good performance against the defending champions Gambia in their opening game and will be hard to beat,” he warned.

Meanwhile, his Congolese counterpart Eddie Hudanski is optimistic his team can reach their first Caf U-17 final.
"We have reached this far and would like to go all the way and win the competition,” he said, adding that the team will try to push for an early goal.

The other semi-final pits Rwanda against Ivory Coast tomorrow at the same venue.

Ends