OWN CORRESPONDENT, Kano | Tuesday 8.30pm.
A LATE goal from Salif Keita sealed a 3-1 victory for Senegal over Burkina Faso on Tuesday and took them to the top of Group C in the African Nations Cup.
The 85th-minute strike had an element of luck as a shot from outside the penalty area by the striker deflected off the boot of a defender and over goalkeeper Abdoulaye Soulama.
Senegal and defending champions Egypt have three points after the first series of mini-league matches and they clash Friday with Zambia playing Burkina Faso 24 hours later.
Ousmane Diop scored after three minutes with a close-range shot to put the Senegalese Lions ahead and they increased their lead through a superb free-kick from Papa Sarr just before the break.
Burkina Faso survived a couple of early second-half scares before applying continuous pressure that reaped reward when Ousmane Sanou scored from close range after 65 minutes.
This left a lively match between adventurous teams delicately balanced until Keita, a replacement for ineffective striker Fary Faye, added to his four goals in qualifying matches.
Senegal must improve their finishing to upset the odds and advance at the expense of Egypt or Zambia as some of their shooting left much to be desired.
After stunning Africa by finishing fourth at home in the previous finals, Burkina Faso have discovered that playing more than 1000km from their base is much more demanding.
Charismatic French coach Philippe Troussier also took considerable credit for the 1998 performances and successor Belgian Rene Taelman stood nervously from the moment Senegal went ahead.
The teams also clashed at the qualifying stage of the biennial African showpiece being hosted by Nigeria and Ghana, drawing 1-1 in Dakar and 2-2 in Ouagadougou. — AFP