It will be Burkina Faso versus Nigeria in the WAFU-B U-17 Championship after the Young Stallions defeated hosts Ghana, winning 1-0 in their semifinal matchup on Tuesday. Ousmane Camara continued his excellent tournament by scoring his fourth goal of the competition in the from the penalty spot for the game’s lone goal in the 65th minute. Burkina Faso will face Nigeria in the final on Friday but most importantly have clinched a spot at the 2023 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations in Algeria.
The match lived up to its pre-match billing as one that would be a competitive duel with a strong Burkina Faso side going up against the hosts who expected success. In the opening ten minutes the woodwork denied both sides, first with Camara driving in on goal from the right wing and putting his low finish off the near post and out. A minute later it was Ghana’s turn to be denied by the post when Baba Salifu Apiiga’s free kick was turned off the upright and wide by Burkinabé defender Cheick Compaoré, sparing him an embarrassing own goal.
Both goalkeepers had to stay alert with Shaibu Rafique Issah of Ghana and Burkina Faso’s Isidore Traoré doing well to rise to the challenge through the first hour. Traoré in particular did well to tip over a deflected effort soon after Compaoré nearly put the ball in his own goal. It was Traoré’s save from a long range effort close to the hour mark that kept the match scoreless just before the Young Stallions struck.
In the 63rd minute a bouncing ball was collected by Aboubacar Camara in the Ghanaian penalty area before he was tripped up by Ghana captain Collins Agyemang for a penalty kick. Ousmane Camara stepped up and sent Issah the wrong way as he side footed his spot kick home to give the Burkinabé team their spot in the final on Friday.
Highlights are below.
