Sudan faced Burkina Faso at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca on New Year’s Eve in a decisive Group E encounter at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. With Algeria already confirmed as group winners, this match determined who would secure the important second qualifying spot. In the end, Burkina Faso earned a 2-0 victory to seal progression.
Burkina Faso made the brighter start and went ahead in the 16th minute. Lassina Traoré met a lofted pass from Stéphane Aziz Ki and guided a close-range header into the bottom left corner to open the scoring. Sudan had the chance to level midway through the half when Al Gozoli Nooh was fouled inside the penalty area, but he sent the resulting penalty narrowly wide of the left post. Sudan continued pushing but Yasir Mozamil also went close without success as his effort drifted wide from inside the six-yard box.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with both teams creating opportunities. Burkina Faso threatened again through Georgi Minoungou, whose low strike was saved by Sudan goalkeeper Mohamed Abooja. Sudan continued searching for an equaliser and Nooh forced a solid stop from Kilian Nikièma in the 70th minute, but the breakthrough still would not come.
Burkina Faso sealed the win in the 85th minute when Arsène Kouassi finished clinically into the bottom left corner after being set up by Dango Ouattara. Sudan were left to rue their earlier penalty miss as Burkina Faso comfortably saw out the match.
The result confirmed Burkina Faso in second place, setting up a clash with the winners of Group F. Sudan, who missed the opportunity to finish second, will now face Senegal on Saturday, 3 January, in the Round of 16.
