• BURKINA FASO PLAYER RATINGS: Herve Koffi – 6. Bravely challenged for the ball in the air to punch away but took an elbow in the process that saw him forced off through injury. AFP
    BURKINA FASO PLAYER RATINGS: Herve Koffi – 6. Bravely challenged for the ball in the air to punch away but took an elbow in the process that saw him forced off through injury. AFP
  • Steeve Yago – 6. Stopped several attacks and defended well for the most part, but he was unfortunate with Senegal’s third goal that effectively ended the game. AFP
    Steeve Yago – 6. Stopped several attacks and defended well for the most part, but he was unfortunate with Senegal’s third goal that effectively ended the game. AFP
  • Issoufou Dayo – 5. Beaten too easily by Mane for the second goal which left Burkina Faso with a mountain to climb. Reuters
    Issoufou Dayo – 5. Beaten too easily by Mane for the second goal which left Burkina Faso with a mountain to climb. Reuters
  • Edmond Tapsoba – 6. The Bayer Leverkusen star was often the man to get in the way of balls coming into the box in what was a positive defensive display for most of the match against a tough opponent. AFP
    Edmond Tapsoba – 6. The Bayer Leverkusen star was often the man to get in the way of balls coming into the box in what was a positive defensive display for most of the match against a tough opponent. AFP
  • Issa Kabore – 7. The 21-year-old handled Mane well for most of the game, with not too much coming down his flank. Picked up a crucial assist in the 83rd minute to provide Burkina Faso with a glimmer of hope. AFP
    Issa Kabore – 7. The 21-year-old handled Mane well for most of the game, with not too much coming down his flank. Picked up a crucial assist in the 83rd minute to provide Burkina Faso with a glimmer of hope. AFP
  • Adama Guira – 6. A yellow card from a mistake meant Guira would have missed the final had Burkina Faso qualified, but that was one mistake from an assured game from the 33-year-old midfielder who took good care of the ball. AP
    Adama Guira – 6. A yellow card from a mistake meant Guira would have missed the final had Burkina Faso qualified, but that was one mistake from an assured game from the 33-year-old midfielder who took good care of the ball. AP
  • Gustavo Sangare – 6. Played with the intention to trouble Senegal but the execution on the ball just wasn’t there on the night. Stoodout in his defensive duties and kept the opposition quiet for large parts of the game. AFP
    Gustavo Sangare – 6. Played with the intention to trouble Senegal but the execution on the ball just wasn’t there on the night. Stoodout in his defensive duties and kept the opposition quiet for large parts of the game. AFP
  • Blati Toure – 7. Arrived late in the box and made no mistake with the finish past Mendy, halving the deficit for the final minutes of the game. AFP
    Blati Toure – 7. Arrived late in the box and made no mistake with the finish past Mendy, halving the deficit for the final minutes of the game. AFP
  • Cyrille Bayala – 5. Involved in a head clash with Nampalys Mendy but didn’t seem to be too harmed, though he will be disappointed with some of his turnovers on the night. EPA
    Cyrille Bayala – 5. Involved in a head clash with Nampalys Mendy but didn’t seem to be too harmed, though he will be disappointed with some of his turnovers on the night. EPA
  • Bertrand Traore – 6. Looked most likely to make something happen when on the ball for Burkina Faso with confident dribbling in between defenders, but the Aston Villa star could rarely work the ball onto his favoured left foot. EPA
    Bertrand Traore – 6. Looked most likely to make something happen when on the ball for Burkina Faso with confident dribbling in between defenders, but the Aston Villa star could rarely work the ball onto his favoured left foot. EPA
  • Hassane Bande – 6. Worked hard on both ends of the pitch in one of his country’s biggest occasions. Asked a question of Mendy in the first half but couldn’t beat him with a nearpost strike. AP
    Hassane Bande – 6. Worked hard on both ends of the pitch in one of his country’s biggest occasions. Asked a question of Mendy in the first half but couldn’t beat him with a nearpost strike. AP
  • SUBS: Farid Ouedraogo (Koffi 36) – 5. A good save close to half-time denied Mane from putting Senegal ahead, but a tough second half saw him the back-up goalkeeper concede three times. AFP
    SUBS: Farid Ouedraogo (Koffi 36) – 5. A good save close to half-time denied Mane from putting Senegal ahead, but a tough second half saw him the back-up goalkeeper concede three times. AFP
  • Zakaria Sanogo (Bayala 60) – 6. Didn’t get the ball enough to make a positive impact in the 30 minutes he was on the pitch for. AP
    Zakaria Sanogo (Bayala 60) – 6. Didn’t get the ball enough to make a positive impact in the 30 minutes he was on the pitch for. AP
  • Abdoul Tapsoba (Bande 81) – N/A. Came on and played directly but rarely found his intended target. AFP
    Abdoul Tapsoba (Bande 81) – N/A. Came on and played directly but rarely found his intended target. AFP
  • Djibril Ouattara (Guira 81) – N/A. On for the final minutes but couldn’t influence the game. AFP
    Djibril Ouattara (Guira 81) – N/A. On for the final minutes but couldn’t influence the game. AFP
  • SENEGAL PLAYER RATINGS: Edouard Mendy – 7. Not troubled by too much but forced into a save by Hassan Bande who tried to catch the goalkeeper out at the near post. AFP
    SENEGAL PLAYER RATINGS: Edouard Mendy – 7. Not troubled by too much but forced into a save by Hassan Bande who tried to catch the goalkeeper out at the near post. AFP
  • Saliou Ciss – 7. Looked to get forward often and had the opening chance of the game with a right footed strike that edged wide. Unlucky not to pick up an assist with an eloquently curved cross that Pape Gueye should have done better with. AFP
    Saliou Ciss – 7. Looked to get forward often and had the opening chance of the game with a right footed strike that edged wide. Unlucky not to pick up an assist with an eloquently curved cross that Pape Gueye should have done better with. AFP
  • Abdou Diallo – 8. Took his time with the ball inside the box and finished with power past Farid Ouedraogo. AFP
    Abdou Diallo – 8. Took his time with the ball inside the box and finished with power past Farid Ouedraogo. AFP
  • Kalidou Koulibaly – 8. A powerful performance from Koulibaly who rarely looked flustered and produced a moment of magic with an overhead kick that turned into an assist for his centre-back partner Diallo. AP
    Kalidou Koulibaly – 8. A powerful performance from Koulibaly who rarely looked flustered and produced a moment of magic with an overhead kick that turned into an assist for his centre-back partner Diallo. AP
  • Bouna Sarr – 6. May have been slightly lucky to remain on the pitch after an overzealous challenge in the second half, kept his opposite number quiet for the most part. AFP
    Bouna Sarr – 6. May have been slightly lucky to remain on the pitch after an overzealous challenge in the second half, kept his opposite number quiet for the most part. AFP
  • Nampalys Mendy – 6. Suffered a head clash in the opening five minutes of the game. AP
    Nampalys Mendy – 6. Suffered a head clash in the opening five minutes of the game. AP
  • Cheikhou Kouyate – 6. Provided the engine in the Senegal midfield. AP
    Cheikhou Kouyate – 6. Provided the engine in the Senegal midfield. AP
  • Sadio Mane – 9. The Liverpool star always looked to want to make something happen and got better as the game went on. He worked space on the byline before cutting back for Senegal’s second goal, before putting the game out of sight with a delicate chip on his left foot late on. EPA
    Sadio Mane – 9. The Liverpool star always looked to want to make something happen and got better as the game went on. He worked space on the byline before cutting back for Senegal’s second goal, before putting the game out of sight with a delicate chip on his left foot late on. EPA
  • Idrissa Gueye – 6. Played further advanced than he does at club level but he still kept things fairly conservative when on the ball in promising areas. Often provided support to his defence to stop counter-attacks. AFP
    Idrissa Gueye – 6. Played further advanced than he does at club level but he still kept things fairly conservative when on the ball in promising areas. Often provided support to his defence to stop counter-attacks. AFP
  • Bamba Dieng – 7. Capped his performance off with a goal by anticipating Sadio Mane’s cross just before he was substituted, helping Senegal double their lead. AP
    Bamba Dieng – 7. Capped his performance off with a goal by anticipating Sadio Mane’s cross just before he was substituted, helping Senegal double their lead. AP
  • Famara Diedhiou – 6. Looked isolated and didn’t look involved in the game too much before being substituted for Ismaila Sarr. AP
    Famara Diedhiou – 6. Looked isolated and didn’t look involved in the game too much before being substituted for Ismaila Sarr. AP
  • SUBS: Pape Gueye (Kouyate 65) – 6. Introduced for Kouyate in the 65th minute and added enthusiasm, though his passes too often were intercepted. AFP
    SUBS: Pape Gueye (Kouyate 65) – 6. Introduced for Kouyate in the 65th minute and added enthusiasm, though his passes too often were intercepted. AFP
  • Ismaila Sarr (Diedhiou 65) – 6. An injection of pace helped Senegal play wider and increase the danger of their counter-attacks, but his best moment might have been when he controlled a stray ball carefully that could have turned into a handball in the final minutes. AFP
    Ismaila Sarr (Diedhiou 65) – 6. An injection of pace helped Senegal play wider and increase the danger of their counter-attacks, but his best moment might have been when he controlled a stray ball carefully that could have turned into a handball in the final minutes. AFP
  • Pape Matar Sarr (Dieng 78) – N/A. On immediately after his side scored to provide fresh legs for the final minutes. AP
    Pape Matar Sarr (Dieng 78) – N/A. On immediately after his side scored to provide fresh legs for the final minutes. AP
  • Pape Abou Cisse (Mendy 92) – N/A. Introduced for the final minutes but still picked up a booking. Reuters
    Pape Abou Cisse (Mendy 92) – N/A. Introduced for the final minutes but still picked up a booking. Reuters

Burkina Faso v Senegal player ratings: Kabore 7, Traore 6; Mane 9, Koulibaly 8


  • English
  • Arabic

Senegal struck three times in the last 20 minutes to book their place in Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations final after overcoming Burkina Faso 3-1 at Yaounde’s Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium on Wednesday.

Abdou Diallo shot home from close range after a corner in the 70th minute for the first and a strike from Bamba Dieng doubled Senegal's lead six minutes later.

Blati Toure pulled a goal back to make it 2-1 in the 82nd minute but Sadio Mane added a final flourish with a breakaway goal five minutes later to restore Senegal's two-goal advantage as their quality triumphed over a gallant Burkinabe outfit.

Senegal, who were runners-up at the last edition in 2019, will meet hosts Cameroon or Egypt in the final.

Assessing the performances in Yaounde, Adam Brown provides his player ratings in the photo gallery above. To move on to the next photo, click on the arrows, or if using a mobile device simply swipe.

Updated: February 03, 2022, 5:15 AM