Angola, Burkina Faso battle for Afcon spot

by Staff Reporter

Friday Nov 16, 2018. 16:00

Angola and Burkina Faso will do battle in a crucial 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Estádio 11 de Novembro in Luanda on Sunday.

Kick-off is at 17h00 CAT.

The two countries are separated by a single point in Group I after four rounds of fixtures. Burkina Faso have accumulated seven points from their allotted fixtures, one more than their opponents.

Aristide Bancé scored a brace for the Stallions in a 3-1 win over Angola in the reverse fixture in Ouagadougou last year.

Burkina Faso would go on to lose away to Mauritania in their next game before registering a comfortable win over Botswana which was duly followed by a goalless draw against the same opponents in Gaborone, last time out.

Palancas Negras bounced back from defeat away to Burkina Faso with successive wins over Botswana and Mauritania on home soil, before defeat in Nouakchott.

The Stallions will be without several key players for the game with Fiorentina's Bryan Dabo, Banou Diawara and Bance to play no part in the qualifier.

Paulo Duarte, though, will be able to call on experienced heads of Johanthan Pitroipa, Koffi Hervé, Bakary Koné, Charles Kaboré, AlainTraore, Bertrand Traore and Préjuce Nakoulma who makes his return to the national team.

Victory for Burkina Faso will book their place at next year's showpiece, while Mauritania are on the verge of sealing their spot at a first Afcon tournament and will do so with victory at home to already eliminated Botswana.