⚽🇨🇲  33rd EDITION OF AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS 🌍

✍🏽 Presented by Joseph Kizza

(Scroll down the page for earlier updates)

📺 Watch all the AFCON 2021 matches live on Vision Group's Wan Luo TV (Startimes Channel 239 and on the Vision Digital Experience App)

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12:21 am

FULL TIME:  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  1-3 Senegal 🇸🇳
Thursday's second semifinal: Cameroon 🇨🇲 v Egypt 🇪🇬 (10pm)

Let's meet again a couple of hours from now for the second semifinal. Glad you could join along. Cheers!

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12:20 am

FULL TIME:  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  1-3 Senegal 🇸🇳
Thursday's second semifinal: Cameroon 🇨🇲 v Egypt 🇪🇬

The Teranga Lions roar on to Sunday's final . . .

The Stallions will hope to gallop their way into a third place finish in Saturday's third place playoff . . .

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12:17 am

FULL TIME:  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  1-3 Senegal 🇸🇳

Stephen Keshi (Nigeria) is the only coach from sub-Saharan Africa to have won the Africa Cup of Nations in this millennium. He did it in 2013 in South Africa.

Aliou Cissé of Senegal, seen here consoling his opposite on the night, Kamou Malo of Burkina Faso, after Wednesday's semifinal, hopes to follow in Keshi's footsteps this Sunday.

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12:03 am

FULL TIME:  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  1-3 Senegal 🇸🇳

Senegal - a team who scored only once in three group-stage games of this edition have netted eight times in the knockout stage: round of 16 (two goals), quarterfinals (three goals) and semifinals (three goals).

Turnaround!

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11:56 pm

FULL TIME:  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  1-3 Senegal 🇸🇳

BREAKING NEWS

Senegal have created their own piece of history by making it to back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations final for the first time.

They will play the winner between hosts Cameroon and Egypt, who face off in the second semifinal on Thursday (10pm).

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11:53 pm

90'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  1-3 Senegal 🇸🇳

THREE MINUTES OF ADDED TIME.

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11:50 pm

87'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  1-3 Senegal 🇸🇳

⚽ GOAL! - Sadio Mane (Senegal)

Where are the goals coming from out of the blue? The last nail in the coffin delivered by Sadio Mane?  Poor communication sees Burkina Faso lose the ball. Mane is in full flight to receive a killer through pass and Issoufou Dayo cannot keep up with the Liverpool man, who sees Farid Ouédraogo dash out of his goal and coolly dinks the ball over the Burkinabe substitute keeper, which lands sweetly into the back of the net.

The Teranga Lions are outflexing The Stallions.

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11:45 pm

82'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  1-2 Senegal 🇸🇳

⚽ GOAL! Blati Touré (Burkina Faso)

Deficit halved! We have a real conclusion here, ladies and gentlemen!

Blati Touré knees the ball past Édouard Mendy, who has been beaten for a second time in this campaign, to give The Stallions respite. A cracker of a game this has turned into!

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11:43 pm

80'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-2 Senegal 🇸🇳

Senegal have now scored eight goals in this edition, netted by six different players: Sadio Mane (2), Bamba Dieng (2), Famara Diedhiou, Cheikhou Kouyate, Ismaila Sarr and Abdou Diallo.

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11:39 pm

76'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-2 Senegal 🇸🇳

⚽ GOAL! - Bamba Dieng (Senegal)

Make that two for the Teranga Lions! It is not immediately crystal-clear who got the last touch to that but for now, it looks like it was Bamba Dieng. Credit to Sadio Mane, who leaves his minder for dead on the edge to thread a pass into the path of his teammate to slide the ball past the keeper.

A huge hole for Burkina Faso to claw out of, with a little under 15 minutes to go.

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11:35 pm

72'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-1 Senegal 🇸🇳

It was a poacher's goal that one by Abdou Diallo, finding the Senegal man in the right place at the perfect time. It all starts from a corner kick that is whipped into the Burkina Faso box, followed by half-clearances.

Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly goes for the spectacular with an overhead kick towards, which is blocked but falls back kindly to Diallo, who blasts past goalkeeper Farid Ouédraogo.

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11:34 pm

71'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-1 Senegal 🇸🇳

⚽ GOAL! - Abdou Diallo (Senegal)

Breakthrough at last! The Teranga Lions have roared through Abdou Diallo.

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11:30 pm

67'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

Okay now the Burkinabes are galloping forward and  their ambition and penetration earns them a corner. The take is lofted into the area but Édouard Mendy is springy and collects comfortably.

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11:27 pm

65'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

You are not missing much, by the way.

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11:24 pm

62'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

The Stallions are doing plenty of defending. Senegal, sensing time is fast-running out, are eager to get the ball in their opponents' box.

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11:21 pm

59'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

That was clumsy by Senegalese Idrissa Gueye on Blati Touré. The referee awards a freekick to Burkina Faso. The physical nature of the start of this second half has blown the steam out of the contest.

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11:16 pm

54'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

Senegal have scored six goals in their last five games and have conceded only one goal. Those goals have been scored by five different players: Sadio Mane (2), Bamba Dieng, Famara Diedhiou, Cheikhou Kouyate and Ismaila Sarr.

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11:12 pm

50'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

🟨 YELLOW CARD! - Bouna Sarr (Senegal)

Senegal's Bouna Sarr is apologetic after being booked for bringing down Adama Guira.

Meanwhile, Sadio Mane makes a run down the left, but he is neatly stopped in his tracks. He could meet his Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah in Sunday's final - if Senegal navigate past Burkina Faso tonight and Egypt beat hosts Cameroon on Thursday.

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11:09 pm

47'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

Action resumes. Who will break the deadlock?

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11:02 pm

HALF TIME:  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

It was such an open first half that even the half time stats show. Burkina Faso had 50.5% ball possession against Senegal's 49.5%.

The Teranga Lions had eight attempts at goal, with three of those on target. The Stallions had seven and two on target.

Now that's how tight it was!

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10:56 pm

HALF TIME:  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

BREATHE! Let's breathe, ladies and gentlemen.

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10:53 pm

45 +8'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

Here we go again in this incident-packed game that keeps giving. Edmond Tapsoba appears to have handled in the box, and is immediately issued a yellow card amid gestures of innocence.

But hold up . . .

The referee goes to review the episode on the pitchside screen. It is a quick check and seconds later, the Burkina Faso player will breathe a sigh of relief - the yellow card is rescinded. He did not handle the ball. Senegal will deliver the corner, whose resulting defended clearance will be the last action of this absorbing opening half.

This contest has lived up it its billing - only thing missing is a goal. Loads of talking points for the pundits to munch on!

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10:49 pm

45 +4'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

A great save by Burkina Faso's substitute goalkeeper Farid Ouédraogo to stop Sadio Mane's rasping shot.

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10:45 pm

45'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

SIX MINUTES are added to this opening half duel, part of which is to compensate for that long pause after the clash between Cheikhou Kouyaté and now-substituted goalkeeper Hervé Koffi.

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10:41 pm

41'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

The Stallions have scored one goal in each of the five games they have so far completed in this campaign. And each goal has been scored by a different player: Gustavo Sangare, Hassane Bande, Cyrille Bayala, Betrand Traore and Dango Ouattara.

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10:41 pm

41'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

And they are in trouble after Issa Kaboré downs Sadio Mane inside the box. For a moment there, everyone thought the Ethiopian referee had pointed to the spot. Nope. Half time is approaching.

By the way, seven players have scored Burkina Faso's total of nine goals in their AFCON knockout stage history: Aristide Bance (3), Kassoum Ouedraogo (1), Jonathan Pitroipa (1), Prejuce Nakoulma (1) and Alain Traore (1), Bertrand Traore and Dango Ouattara (1).

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10:40 pm

40'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

There is plenty of fight in this Burkinabe side, who have just lost their first-choice goalie to a nasty injury.

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10:36 pm

36'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

The Stallions are forced to make a substitution. Their goalkeeper Hervé Koffi is hurt and cannot resume action, and so he is stretchered off the pitch. He won't be back and is replaced by the second-choice goalkeeper.

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10:33 pm

33'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

💥 OUCH! Another nasty collision involving a flying Cheikhou Kouyaté and goalkeeper Hervé Koffi.

The two players are down. The referee has trotted to the touchline VAR monitor to assess the incident. Did the Burkina Faso keeper deliver a punch on the airborne Senegalese midfielder?

Nope, rules the referee.

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10:27 pm

27'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

🟨 YELLOW CARD! - Adama Guira (Burkina Faso)

If The Stallions make it to Sunday's final, Adama Guira won't be a part of it. He is booked for a foul on Bamba Dieng. No room for mischief here - referee Weyesa is watching.

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10:22 pm

22'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

No moment for a breather in this contest - and the fans are definitely enjoying this.

Traoré makes a spirited run into the Senegal box and has inevitably drawn the close attentions of Abdou Diallo, Idrissa Gueye and Saliou Ciss, who attempt to block his vision. And they manage to close in on the Burkinabe skipper, who eventually sees his shot blocked out for a corner.

Nothing comes out of the resulting corner delivery, as the ball is ballooned far out beyond the midfield boundary.

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10:18 pm

18'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

End to end action - Bertrand Traoré tests Senegal goalkeeper Mendy, who has conceded only once in this campaign, but the effort is too weak for the Chelsea goalstopper. Almost instantly, the ball has switched to the other end of the pitch, with Sadio Mane slaloming his way past a couple of minders, but he, too, cannot beat Hervé Koffi with his low shot yards out.

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10:13 pm

13'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

Not long after Senegal see their first corner come to nothing substantial, on the other end of the pitch, Hassane Bandé makes a good run down the left flank to nutmeg Koulibaly and race past the Senegalese defender. It's a timely block that has the ball spin out for Burkina Faso's first corner of the game.

Gustavo Sangaré delivers into Édouard Mendy's crowded box, but the ball is blasted out back into the roomier outfield.

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10:10 pm

10'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

Solid defending there by Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly, the big defender making a confident clearance to stop the marauding Stallions in their tracks.

It is a vibrant start to this opening half. Loads of commitment and fight shown thus far by both sides.

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10:07 pm

7'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

An early freekick on the left for Senegal after Gustavo Sangaré and Adama Guira bring down Sadio Mane as he tries to weave his way through them. The resulting delivery forces half-hearted clearances from the Burkinabe personnel, but eventually, any lingering sheds of danger are snuffed out.

That was a bit chaotic on the eye.

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10:04 pm

4'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

And an early head/facial collision between Senegal's Nampalys Mendy and Burkinabe Cyrille Bayala. The two players are rolling on the ground in evident pain and the medical teams are swiftly summoned to check them out.

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10:02 pm

2'  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

It is very noisy inside the stadium - vuvuzelas and trumpets are blaring across the facility.

Ethiopian referee Bamlak Tessema Weyesa is handling this contest.

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10:00 pm

KICKOFF!  Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  0-0 Senegal 🇸🇳

Action is under way inside Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Cameroon's capital Yaounde. It is 10pm in Uganda, 8pm in Cameroon, and 7pm in Burkina Faso and in Senegal.

A BIG game this - of two teams that are no stranger to this stage of this continental competition. A place in the final is what they are playing for tonight. Africa is watching. The footballing world is following.

What do you have for us, boys?

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9:57 pm

Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  v Senegal 🇸🇳  (10pm)

It has been a wet evening in Yaounde, but luckily for the spectators, the rain has since stopped. Humidity is at 56%, with temperatures of around 23°C.

The teams have walked out to a good, vociferous crowd. Burkina Faso are in all-white while Senegal have gone for an all-green look. That's pretty much been consistent for the two teams in the wardrobe department.

The camera pans to Senegal's coach, Aliou Cissé, fitting his cap tight onto his dreadlocked head. He looks ready.

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9:49 pm

Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  v Senegal 🇸🇳  (10pm)

Kickoff is only minutes away. Better warm up your seats . . .

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9:36 pm

Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  v Senegal 🇸🇳  (10pm)

(Analysis by AFP):

Senegal share with West African neighbours Mali the unwanted distinction of never having lifted the Cup of Nations -- the symbol of national team supremacy in the continent.

The Teranga Lions have come agonisingly close twice, losing on penalties to Cameroon in Bamako 20 years ago and narrowly to Algeria in Cairo in 2019.

Reigning African Footballer of the Year Mane says he would happily exchange "all the medals he has won (in England and Europe) for a Cup of Nations gold gong".

He may never have a better chance of realising his dream as Senegal find themselves one victory away from the final while rarely moving into overdrive.

They topped a group including modest opponents Guinea, Malawi and Zimbabwe while winning only once and scoring only once through a Mane penalty. 

Only when last-16 rivals Cape Verde were reduced to nine men, did Senegal score, and they then punished sloppy Equatorial Guinea defending to win 3-1 with Mane, surprisingly, not among the scorers.

While much attention has been on Salah, Mane and Aboubakar, Burkina Faso have progressed almost unnoticed until impressively eliminating Tunisia, who defeated Nigeria in the previous round.

The Stallions could afford to keep Aston Villa forward Bertrand Traore on the bench throughout the quarter-final in Garoua, but teenage match-winner Dango Ouattara misses out due to suspension.

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9:33 pm

Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  v Senegal 🇸🇳  (10pm)

Here is what Burkina Faso's starting lineup looks like . . .

Hervé Koffi ‏(GK)
Issa Kaboré
Steeve Yago
Gustavo Sangaré
Edmond Tapsoba
Issoufou Dayo
Blati Touré
Adama Guira
Bertrand Traoré ‏(C)
Hassane Bandé
Cyrille Bayala

Senegal, on the other hand, will start like this tonight . . .

Édouard Mendy ‏(GK)
Bouna Sarr
Saliou Ciss
Nampalys Mendy
Kalidou Koulibaly ‏(C)
Abdou Diallo
Bamba Dieng
Cheikhou Kouyaté
Famara Diédhiou
Idrissa Gueye
Sadio Mané

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9:30 pm

Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  v Senegal 🇸🇳  (10pm)

30 MINUTES TO KICKOFF . . .

📞 "Hello coach Kamou Malo and coach Aliou Cisse, are you guys ready? Half an hour to go!"

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9:24 pm

Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  v Senegal 🇸🇳  (10pm)

It is a thin head-to-head record between Burkina Faso and Senegal, who have crossed paths only twice before at the Africa Cup of Nations - both at the group stage.

In Ghana 2000, Senegal beat Burkina Faso 3-1 in Group C. In that game, Henri Camara gave the Teranga Lions the lead four minutes into the game. Pape Sarr made it two at the stroke of half time. Ousmane halved the Burkinabe's deficit 20 minutes into the second half, before Salif Keita wrapped up Senegal's victory four minutes to full time.

Four years later in Tunisia, it was a goalless draw for these two sides in Group B.

In both editions, Senegal progressed from the group stage but Burkina Faso did not. So this is the first time the two West African nations are meeting in a knockout stage of the competition.

From left, Burkina Faso's midfielder Adama Guira and Senegal's forward Keita Balde

 
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9:20 pm

Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  v Senegal 🇸🇳  (10pm)

Burkina Faso have reached the Africa Cup of Nations final once - when they lost 1-0 to Nigeria in 2013 in South Africa. Sunday Mba scored the match-winner five minutes before half time inside a packed FNB Stadium in Johannesburg. That year, Burkinabe Jonathan Pitroipa was named the player of the tournament.

The farthest The Stallions had previously reached in the tournament was in 1998 at home as semifinalists. Hosts of that edition, they settled for fourth place after losing to  DR Congo in the third place game in Ouagadougou.

In 2017 in Gabon, Burkina Faso were knocked out at the semifinals by Egypt (4-3 on penalties after 1-1 result) in Libreville. They finished third after beating Ghana 1-0 to that spot as the two losing semifinalists. 

So this is familiar territory for Malo's side.

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9:15 pm

Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  v Senegal 🇸🇳  (10pm)

So this may come as a surprise, but Senegal have never won the Africa Cup of Nations.

The closest The Teranga Lions have come close to lifting it was finishing second-best in 2002 and in the last edition (2019).

At the 2002 final in Mali, Senegal and Cameroon could not be separated after extra time in a goalless affair. It was the latter that proved their indomitability by winning 3-2 on penalties. Current head coach Aliou Cissé was one of the three Senegal players to miss their penalties.

In 2019, Algeria's Baghdad Bounedjah (#9) scored the only and winning goal two minutes into the final to deny Senegal inside a packed Cairo International Stadium.

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9:12 pm

Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  v Senegal 🇸🇳  (10pm)

Speaking of goals, in case you are a lover of soccer stats and facts, here is one:

Only one player has scored a hattrick in Africa Nations Cup history. That's the late Zambia sharpshooter Bernard 'Bomber' Chanda, who achieved this feat in 1974 against Congo Brazzaville in Cairo, Egypt. The Chipolopolo triumphed 4-2 after extra time to qualify for the final, which they lost to Zaire (now DR Congo) after a replay.

Chanda was known as the KK XI in honour of then President Kenneth Kaunda (RIP), Zambia triumphed 4-2 after extra time.

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9:09 pm

Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  v Senegal 🇸🇳  (10pm)

Senegal's goal statistics:

It was a disappointingly low-scoring start to the campaign for this star-packed Senegal side, but they have managed to pick up in later stages.

Liverpool star Sadio Mane scored their laboured winner - a penalty deep in stoppage time - against Zimbabwe in their opening game. That was the only goal scored by the Teranga Lions in the group stage, but the three points that it came with it were enough to take them through to the knockout phase.

It all improved in the round of 16 against Cape Verde. Mane and Bamba Dieng were the scorers in a 2-0 result.

Aliou Cissé was delighted to see his side rediscover their scoring touch. Three different players scored in their 3-1 quarterfinal victory over Equatorial Guinea. Famara Diedhiou, Cheikhou Kouyate and Ismaila Sarr were all on target.

Senegal have scored six goals in five games played so far and have conceded only one goal.

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9:03 pm

Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  v Senegal 🇸🇳  (10pm)

Burkina Faso's goal statistics:

The Stallions have scored one goal in each of the five games they have played so far in this campaign. And each goal has been scored by a different player.

Gustavo Sangare scored in their 2-1 defeat to Cameroon in the opening game. Hassane Bande netted the only goal in their subsequent win over Cape Verde.

Cyrille Bayala saw his 24th-minute goal cancelled out by Getaneh Kebede in a 1-1 draw with Ethiopia in their third and last group game.

Bertrand Traore scored when The Stallions battled 10-man Gabon in the round of 16, a game that was decided by the spotkicks after a 1-1 deadlock at the end of extra time, which saw Burkina Faso come out on top.

Against Tunisia in the quarterfinals, Dango Ouattara, who was later dismissed, netted the winner that took Burkina Faso to the semis.

Burkina Faso have conceded four goals in the five games they have played.

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9:00 pm

Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  v Senegal 🇸🇳  (10pm)

ONE HOUR TO KICKOFF . . .

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8:54 pm

Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  v Senegal 🇸🇳  (10pm)

How The Teranga Lions roared into the last-four

Coming into this tournament as the top-ranked nation in Africa, Senegal's group-stage opening game did not exactly reflect that status. They needed a penalty deep in stoppage time (seventh minute of added time) to clinch a 1-0 win over The Warriors of Zimbabwe. Their star man, Sadio Mane of Liverpool, converted that penalty.

Next, The Lions of Teranga could not activate their roar against Guinea in a contest that ended 0-0, before registering the same result (goalless draw) against The Flames of Malawi in their final group game. 

Five points were enough to take Aliou Cissé's men through to the last-16, where a date with Cape Verde would happen.

It was a return to winning ways for Senegal against the Blue Sharks, who were reduced to nine men after Patrick Andrade's dismissal halfway into the first half and later Vozinha in the 57th minute.

The Teranga Lions took full advantage of their personnel superiority. Mane opened the scoring in the 63rd minute, before Bamba Dieng sealed the victory in stoppage time to see Senegal advance to the last-eight.

Against the National Thunder of Equatorial Guinea three days ago, a semifinal spot was at stake. Also at stake for star-studded Senegal was their reputation.

Defeat against the Equatoguineans would be embarrassing and Mane ensured that did not happen. The industrious forward provided a defence-splitting through-pass to Famara Diedhiou for the opening goal.

Crystal Palace midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate restored Senegal's lead shortly after coming on after Jannick Buyla's equalizer in the 57th minute. Another substitute, Ismaila Sarr, then put the contest beyond Equatorial Guinea with a third 11 minutes from time.

It was the first time for Cissé's side to score more than two goals in this campaign although it also brought to an end their clean-sheet run.

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8:35 pm

Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  v Senegal 🇸🇳  (10pm)

How The Stallions galloped to the semifinals

When Gustavo Sangare gave Burkina Faso the lead against hosts Cameroon 24 minutes into the opening game of this edition, the initially effervescent crowd inside Olembe Stadium quietened by a couple of decibels.

But 16 minutes later, the noise inside the vast stadium increased when Vincent Aboubakar levelled the score from the spot. Not long after, in first half stoppage time, Aboubakar made it two for Cameroon - again via a penalty - to send the entire nation into raptures. 

The Stallions had fallen to The Indomitable Lions in their opening Group A game.

So it was time to regroup to face Cape Verde. This time, Burkina Faso were in no mood to relinquish their lead courtesy of Hassane Bande's 39th-minute strike.

With three points already in the bag, a draw against Ethiopia in their last group game meant safe passage to the round of 16 for the Burkinabes. In that one, Cyrille Bayala put The Stallions in front in the 24th minute.

Ethiopia were awarded a penalty early after restart, which Getaneh Kebede converted in the 52nd minute.

In the last-16, Burkina Faso were up against Gabon. This incident-packed encounter had Bertrand Traore watch his 17th-minute penalty effort denied by the bar, before the Aston Villa forward made up for his miss by racing gracefully onto a neat through-pass to give Burkina Faso the lead 11 minutes later.

Gabon were reduced to ten men when Sidney Obissa was dismissed halfway into the second half. The Panthers were without their star player and captain, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, for the entire campaign due to coronavirus complications. 

Burkina Faso thought it was all over but a stoppage time own goal by Adama Guira forced the tie into extra time to give Patrice Neveu's side a lifeline. An absorbing shootout that following saw The Stallions advance 7-6 on penalties.

In the quarterfinals, 19-year-old Burkinabe Dango Ouattara scored the winner against 2004 AFCON champions Tunisia in first half stoppage time. But he was sent off eight minutes before time for elbowing Tunisia's Ali Maâloul in the face during an aerial challenge for the ball.

It means Ouattara will miss tonight's clash against Senegal. His absence will be a big blow for Kamou Malo's side, who are set to battle for a place in the final.

What Malo and co will be delighted about is the fact that they have become a bogey team for Tunisia. The Stallions have met the Carthage Eagles at the quarterfinal stage of this competition three times, and they have beaten the Tunisians all those times.

The day after their exit from the competittion, Tunisia's head coach Mondher Kebaier was sacked.

The 51-year-old had been in charge since August 2019, and the country's football federation said he would be replaced by his 50-year-old deputy coach Jalel Kadri.

Sacked Tunisia coach Mondher Kebaier (left) and his assistant Jalel Kadri, who has since replaced him

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8:28 pm

Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  v Senegal 🇸🇳  (10pm)

Meanwhile, the last time Senegal were in the semifinals was in 2019 in Egypt, after which they progressed to  the big one and lost to Algeria.

Earlier in the quarterfinals that year, The Teranga Lions eventually broke Benin's shackles 20 minutes before time through Idrissa Gana Gueye's winner to advance to the last-four.

For the Ugandan readers, I feel I should add here that Senegal had already beaten Uganda 1-0 in the round of 16 to progress to the quarterfinals. It was - who else? - Sadio Mane who scored the only goal in that tie, doing so 15 minutes into the game. While the Senegal forward beat Denis Onyango for the opener, the  Ugandan goalkeeper, who has since retired from national duty, managed to save Mane's second-half penalty.

So anyways, back to the earlier narrative.... After making it to the semis in Egypt, what stood between Senegal and a spot in the final was Tunisia. It was goalless by the end of regulation time in that one. Eleven minutes into extra time, The Carthage Eagles were unfortunate to concede through their own man, Dylan Bronn, for the decisive breakthrough.

Senegal would go on to lose the final against Algeria, thanks to Baghdad Bounedjah's super-early strike.

Now that's how close The Teranga Lions have come to securing their first AFCON title, which had first eluded them 17 years earlier (in 2002). Near-misses that they are so keen to experience again this time around. But first, Burkina Faso stand in their way.  

What trick does 29-year-old Sadio Mane and co have up their sleeve?

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8:17 pm

Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  v Senegal 🇸🇳  (10pm)

The last time Burkina Faso were in the semis was in 2017 in Gabon.

Just like has been the case in this edition, The Stallions overpowered Tunisia (2-0) in the quarterfinals held in Libreville. Aristide Bance (the guy with distinctive hairstyles) and Prejuce Nakoulma scored in the last ten minutes of that game five years ago to take the Burkinabes through to the semis.

At the last-four stage, Bance cancelled out Mohamed Salah's 66th-minute opener to force the contest into extra time, which still produced no winner. 

In the ensuing penalty shootout, Bertrand Traore and goalkeeper Herve Koffi - both in the current squad that is in Cameroon - missed their penalties to send Egypt through to the final.

Burkina Faso were consoled by a bronze-medal finish, after beating Ghana 1-0 in the third place play-off. Alain Traore netted the winner in the 89th minute.

Yet, a semifinal finish has not been The Stallions' highest achievement at the Africa Cup of Nations. In 2013, they lost the final to Nigeria (1-0) in South Africa. They are now one step closer to replicating that feat of nine years ago - and even bettering it by winning the title.

But here is Burkina Faso's problem: They are up against a Senegal side that came into this campaign as Africa's top-ranked team - yet The Teranga Lions have never won the title either. They, too, came agonisingly close in 2002 in Mali and then in 2019 in Egypt - finishing second both times.

So if you asked me, I am absolutely sure Aliou Cisse's Senegal are more than determined to get to February 6 and win it!

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8:09 pm

Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  v Senegal 🇸🇳  (10pm)

Well, well, well. So an Africa Cup of Nations edition originally of 24 teams has been whittled down to a contest of four teams.

Burkina Faso, Senegal, Cameroon and Egypt are the last teams standing - for now.

In fact, three of these 2021 semifinalists featured in the last-four cast of 2017 in Gabon: Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Egypt. That year, Senegal were beaten by Cameroon in the quarterfinals. 

Interestingly, none of that trio reached the semis in the following edition (in 2019). Instead, it was Senegal, who missed out in 2017, that qualified for the semis in Egypt. In the last-four of that edition, The Teranga Lions knocked the Carthage Eagles (Tunisia) off their perch in extra time (1-0), but it was a reverse in fortunes in the final, where Senegal fell to Algeria (1-0) - stunned by Baghdad Bounedjah's second-minute goal.

The hands of time have moved fast, and we are back at it. 

Tonight, the first semifinal of the pandemic-delayed 2021 edition will kick off at 10pm (Ugandan time). Burkina Faso will take on Senegal at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Cameroon's capital Yaounde.

And it will be an emotional one for the Burkinabes. Their coach, Kamou Malo, said in the buildup that they will be "playing for our people who are being tested by current events". 

By "current events" he was referring to the political situation back home after Burkina Faso was plunged into political uncertainty when President Roch Marc Christian Kabore was ousted in a military coup.

So you can imagine that for Malo and co, tonight's duel is definitely going to be a test of their mental focus more than it is their physical stamina.

Meanwhile, the other semifinal between the competition's most successful teams, Egypt and hosts Cameroon, will take place on Thursday at Olembe Stadium, also in Yaounde. The stadium, where eight people died in a crush at the beginning of last week, was given the green light to host second semi-final and the final.

The development came after the Confederation of African Football gave the stadium the go ahead after lifting the temporary suspension of the venue.

This Sunday's (February 6) final needs only two teams. We shall know one of them by the end of tonight.

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8:03 pm

Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  v Senegal 🇸🇳  (10pm)

So I have been very selective when putting together this picture composition. Notice anything?

Your eye might catch the white jerseys at the ends of the picture and the green ones inside. Or you may notice that all the selected players wear number 10. That fact that three of them are captains of their national teams may not have escaped your attention.

Perhaps you have noticed that three of them are based in England for their club careers. Or that each one of them has scored at least one goal for their team at this Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

Anyways, whatever you have noticed, we all know one thing: those players are all in the semifinals, a round of this marquee continental competition that gets under way tonight.

Betrand Traore's Burkina Faso take on Sadio Mane's Senegal tonight at 10pm while Vincent Aboubakar's Cameroon (the hosts) battle Mohamed Salah's Egypt on Thursday same time.

With a good two hours between us and kickoff, we have plenty of time to build up to tonight's showdown, so let's get down to it.

In case you have any question(s) or comment(s), feel free to email me via jkiiza@newvision.co.ug.

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8:00 pm

Burkina Faso 🇧🇫  v Senegal 🇸🇳  (10pm)

Good evening everyone! The race to the final is very much on. It is a four-way contest, but who will cross the finish line first? A marathon has suddenly turned into a sprint.

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