The Burkinabe Stallions are striving to drive past the Ivory Coast, Ghana and Togo to earn a place in the quarter-finals of Africa’s top competition.The Burkina Faso football team which is nicknamed Les Etalons (The Stallions) has had a number of outstanding performances at the continental stage in the past. They have made six appearances at the African Cup of Nations but the most remarkable moment was in 1998 when they hosted the tournament and went all the way to finish in fourth position, just outside the medal bracket.
In the last two championships, The Stallions missed out but it seems they went back to the drawing board to prepare a team to take them to the future. The evidence of their impressive youth programme was shown during the 2009 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Nigeria where their youngsters missed a spot in the quarter-finals after being humbled 4-1 by Spain.
The senior lads are now expected to continue the successful trend by going past their Group B opponents Togo, as well as World Cup bound Ivory Coast and Ghana for a spot in the quarter-finals.
Road To Qualification
After qualifying from the second group of 2010 Africa Cup/World Cup qualifiers, The Stallions were placed in Group E together with Cote D’Ivoire, Malawi and Guinea for the third and final round of the campaign.
Cote D’Ivoire sealed their place at the 2010 World Cup and African Cup of Nations early in these qualifiers to leave the two remains spots for the other three teams. Burkina Faso also won a place in the continental finals after beating Malawi and Guinea at home and away to pocket 12 points. They lost to the Ivorians home and away.
Squad
The Stallions manager became the first coach to name a squad that will take part in the Angola finals. The selected players include:
Goalkeepers: Daouda Diakite (Mokawloo Al-Arab, Egypt), Germain Sanou (Saint-Étienne, France), Adama Sawadogo (ASFA-Y, Burkina).
Defenders: Ibrahim Gnanou (Alania Vladiskavkaz, Russia), Bakary Koné (Guingamp, France), Paul Koulibaly (Al Ittihiad Tripoli, Libya), Moussa Ouattara (Kaiserslautern, Germany), Madi Panandétiguiri (Leiria, Portugal), Mamadou Tall (Leiria, Portugal).
Midfielders: Charles Kaboré (Marseille, France), Mahamoudou Keré (Charleroi, Belgium), Mohamed Koffi (Petrojet, Egypt), Aziz Nikiéma (Qingdao Jonoon, China), Jonathan Pitroipa (Hambourg, Germany), Florent Rouamba (Sheriff Tiraspol, Moldova), Sibiri Alain Traoré (Auxerre, France).
Strikers: Habib Bamogo (OGC Nice, France), Aristide Bancé (FSV Mainz, Germany), Moumouni Dagano (Al Khor, Qatar), Youssouf Koné (CFR Cluj, Romania), Youssouf Ouattara (Leiria, Portugal), Narcisse Yaméogo (Migan, Azerbaijan), Patrick Zoundi (Fortuna Düsseldorf, Germany).
