Burkina Faso will be hoping to continue with their fine run in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations when they face Tunisia in the quarterfinals.
The highly anticipated clash is slated for Saturday evening with the Stallions hoping to progress to the next at the expense of the Carthage Eagles.
Burkina Faso, who finished second in Group A, needed a penalty shootout at round of sixteen to overtake Gabon and reach the quarterfinals.
Coach Kamou Malo n has proved many of his doubters wrong after taking a less fancied side to dizzy heights, a move seen as reviving the Burkinabe football.
The Stallions are eyeing their maiden Africa Cup of Nations title having emerged as runners-up in 2013 in South Africa as they lost to Nigeria in the final.
“The next match is qualifying for the semifinals, so it is very difficult. We have determination to continue the journey and feel the responsibility. Our players are young and have the enthusiasm to win and continue their way,” coach Malo said.
“Tunisia is a good and cohesive team, but our side is armed with spirit and determination. The game will not be played on paper, but on the field. We don’t think about the past, but the present is always more important. We have a young ambitious team, and we can write our present and future.”
Strikers Bertrand Traore and Adama Guira are the men set to cause all sorts of troubles for the North Africans.
For Tunisia, coach Jalel Kadri will find inspiration in his skipper Saint-Etienne forward Wahbi Khazri as they chase their third win on Saturday.
The Carthage Eagles booked their placed in last eight after beating tournament favorite Nigeria by a solitary goal last Sunday.
“Most of the teams that were candidates to play the quarterfinals are no longer here, and this indicates the strength of the competition. All the teams in the quarterfinals are on the same level,” said coach Kadri.
“The solidarity of the players and technical staff is what made us overcome the difficult circumstances and we do not have the luxury now to provide a level lower than the last match. We respect all the teams, and we will treat Burkina Faso as the strongest candidates for the title.”
Tunisia will be armed with history against Burkina Faso as this is the third time both teams face in the quarterfinals.
The Stallions won the two previous matches against the Carthage Eagles, at home in 1998 and in Gabon 2017.
The match will be staged at the Roumde Adjia Stadium in Garoua on Saturday evening, at 19h00 GMT.
