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Egypt assured Burkina Faso grabs 1-1 draw with Zambia
Posted: Saturday January 29, 2000 05:01 PM
KANO, Nigeria (AP) -- Alasane Ouedraogo scrambled to score an injury-time equalizer, earning Burkina Faso a 1-1 draw with Zambia on Saturday to preserve its faint quarterfinal hopes and assuring Egypt of advancing at the African Cup of Nations. Denis Lota gave Zambia a 14th-minute lead with an overhead kick from close range. But Ben Bamfuchile's team couldn't hold the lead after defender Elijah Litana was sent off for a late tackle on Ouedraogo with 15 minutes remaining in an entertaining Group C match. The victory assured Egypt, which has six points from two matches, of joining South Africa in the single-elimination or knockout phase. Senegal has three points, while Burkina Faso and Zambia have a point each. In Group C's final matches on Tuesday, Egypt plays Burkina Faso and Senegal takes on Zambia. Having lost their opening matches, Burkina Faso and Zambia went all out for victory, and Zambia took control in the first half.
Before Lota's strike, defender Moses Sichone's header forced a superb save from goalkeeper Traore Soulama. Vitesse Arnhem striker Mamadou Zongo repeatedly looked threatening for Burkina Faso, which reached the African Cup semifinals on home soil two years ago. Zambian goalkeeper Phiti Davies failed to hold a free kick from Zongo before seeing his defense scramble the ball to safety, and, just before halftime, Zongo took off on a solo run that ended with a superb tackle from Zambian stopper Moses Sichone. Zambia, which has twice reached the final of the African Cup but never been crowned champion -- played with more craft before being reduced to 10 men. In the 55th minute it almost doubled its lead when veteran midfielder Bwalya Kalugha hit the crossbar with a curling free kick. "We will play our hearts out against Egypt to prove that there are no underdogs," said Burkina's Belgian coach Rene Taelman. Said Zambia coach Bamfuchile: "We missed alot of chances that would have finished the game completely."
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