Omo, make we yarn about di big match wey dey come for AFCON 2025! Ivorian Elephants go face dem West African neighbour, Burkina Faso for Round of 16 wey go happen for Grand Stade de Marrakech, Morocco on January 6, 2026.
This match na serious wahala as e go determine who go move to quarter-finals for di tournament wey everybody dey eye!
Make we check why dis match dey hot. Ivory Coast waka pass group stage with swagger, dem finish Group F as dem dey defend di title wey dem carry last time. Dem start di tournament well with 1-0 victory over Mozambique, then dem go draw with Cameroon and finish dem group with one dramatic comeback against Gabon, wey dem win 3-2. Naija, see ehn, Ivorian Elephants dey hot like fire! Dem get star players like Amad Diallo wey don dey shine for di competition!
But make we no forget di Stallions of Burkina Faso. Dem don come a long way too! Dem start dem group stage with one small gbege, as dem lose one match to Algeria, but dem bounce back strong with sweet wins over Equatorial Guinea and Sudan. Di same way Stallions dey knack small teams dey go, dey exploit dem chances. Dem fit give Elephants small headache o!
For head-to-head, Ivorian Elephants don beat Burkina Faso 9 times out of 20 meetings. Dem don see dem small brothers as their eternal rival, and no be every time dem dey take dem easy. Last time dem meet for AFCON, na di 2012 finals they win 2-0! Wetin you think dis time around?
Coach Emerse Fae of Ivory Coast dey ready as him get full squad to select from. Yahia Fofana go likely stand for di post while amebow dem players wey sabi ball like Evan Ndicka and Kessie go arrange di defence. Dem players dey ginger for midfield too, I dey expect am to push forward!
On di flip side, Burkina Faso no dey too sweet for injuries o! Koffi, dia goalkeeper, no fit play after di thigh injury wey him get. If dem miss am, rain fit fall for Burkina Faso side, but coach Brama Traore don get some plans to keep dem solid!
This match dey balance well, as both teams sabi manage tension and pressure. But if we check am, Ivorian Elephants dey enter di match as defending champions, and dem crude ability to manage big matches fit just give dem di edge wey dem need. As e be, I fit say small victory for Ivory Coast still dey inscribed in di stars, but it fit still go extra time!
Na wetin dem mean when dem talk say ‘no wahala, na who dey score dey go win?’ Make I drop this gist for una: I see Ivory Coast winning by 2-1, but e fit still end for penalty if dem no fit separate dem. Na football, anything fit happen!
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