U-17 Championship

Final

Burkina Faso 2-1 Rwanda

Hosts Rwanda could only settle for the silver medal after losing 2-1 against Burkina Faso in the final of the 2011 African Youth U-17 Championship played yesterday at Amahoro National Stadium.

With President Paul Kagame among the over 25, 000 spectators inside the stadium, Zaniou Sana scored the opening goal of the game in the 58th minute after pouncing on sloppy defending by Rwanda’s stand-in skipper Faustin Usengimana.

Inspirational midfielder Charles Tibingana Mwesigye equalised on 65th minute after unleashing a stunning 30-yard shot which left goalkeeper Seni Ouedraogo with no option.

But the Young Stallions got a second and winning goal seven minutes later when midfielder Aziz Abdoul Kabore let go of a stunning 40-yard shot into the top corner.
Burkina Faso had already been reduced to ten-men after Bassirou Kanazoe was sent off for elbowing Andrew Buteera on the hour mark. However, Richard Tardy’s team failed to capitalize on Burkina Faso being a player less.

Mwesigye and Justin Mico were the main culrpits as each wasted two clear scoring chances a the Junior Wasps searched for the equalizer, which didn’t come as the tens of thousands of Rwandans inside the stadium and the millions watching on TV were left disappointed at full time. 

The two teams met in the tournament’s opening game, which Rwanda won 2-1 but it was sweet revenge for the West Africans, who won their first title at this level.

On the other hand, Rwanda was participating in the continental championship for the first, while Burkina Faso has previously reached the final twice. They lost to Ghana 1-2 in 1999 and then Nigeria 0-3 two years later.
On top of the silver medal, Rwanda also took home the fair-play team award.

Congo Brazzaville took third place after edging out Cote d’Ivoire 2-1 in the third place play-off on Friday at Stade de Kigali.

Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Congo and Cote d’Ivoire will represent Africa at the Fifa U-17 World Cup scheduled for June in Mexico.

Previous winners

1995- Ghana
1997- Egypt
1999- Ghana
2001- Nigeria
2003- Cameroon
2005- Gambia
2007- Nigeria
2009- Gambia
2011- Burkina Faso

Ends