Burkina Faso 3 - Algeria 2

Photo by Farouk Batiche

Ouagadougou was the site of first leg between visiting Algeria and Burkina Faso.  Burkina Faso were dealt an early blow as an injury to Bakary Kone forced them to substitute center backs within the first five minutes.  Later in the half, Jonathan Pitroipa was brought down as he drove deep into the Algerian penalty area by a late challenge from Essaid Belkalem.  Aristide Bance (pictured, white, #15) struck the penalty kick well, but a fantastic diving save near the post by Algeria goalkeeper Adi Mbolhi kept the score level.  With the last kick of the half in stoppage time, Jean-Noel Lingani swung in a cross to the six-yard box.  Pitroipa made a great run in between the two centerbacks and scored off an open header.  Burkina Faso led 1-0 at the halftime whistle.

Five minutes after the restart, Islam Slimani and Sofiane Feghouli teamed up on Burkina Faso defender Paul Koulibaly, using a series of passes in tight spaces to cause Koulibaly to fall to the turf.  Eventually, Feghouli was open enough to take a shot inside the box, and he scored to make it 1-1.  A quarter hour later, the Stallions were back in front due to a great solo play by Djakaridja Kone.  Kone won a header off an unsuspecting Algerian defender and then raced into the space up the left flank.  Without breaking stride, Kone shot across his body and found the absolute sharpest angle he could find while still putting the ball on frame to make it 2-1.  Three minutes later, Carl Medjani headed off for a corner kick for the equalizer as none of the Burkinabe markers made any effort to jump for the cross.  Algeria were whistled for a handball in their own box very controversially near the end of regulation.  Belkalem was whistled for his second penalty-worthy infraction of the match.  Bance again took the penalty kick, but this time he went down the middle, allowing Mbolhi only to get a desperate touch as the ball flew into the space he had vacated before his dive.  Burkina Faso win the first leg 3-2, but Algeria will feel confident heading into the second leg having bagged two road goals.

Goals
Burkina Faso
Jonathan Pitroipa 45+2
Djakaridja Kone 65
Aristide Bance 86 PK

Algeria
Sofiane Feghouli 50
Carl Medjani 69

Match Reports:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24508189
http://www.goal.com/en/match/124163/burkina-faso-vs-algeria/report?
http://www.iol.co.za/sport/soccer/burkina-faso-beat-algeria-1.1591111#.Um9AB_mkqT4
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/10/12/uk-soccer-world-burkina-idUKBRE99B0A020131012

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tiBlmdSTjg

Full Match Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h02pVayRyj4