Burkina Faso's top football talents delivered standout performances in Europe's major leagues over the weekend, with strikers Dango Ouattara and Bertrand Traore playing pivotal roles in securing victories for their Premier League clubs. Their timely goals highlight their form just weeks before the Africa Cup of Nations kicks off in Morocco.
Premier League Spotlight on Burkinabe Brilliance
In England, the attacking prowess of Burkina Faso was on full display. For Brentford, Dango Ouattara was instrumental in a 3-1 comeback win against Burnley. The forward won a crucial penalty in the 80th minute, which teammate Igor Thiago converted to open the scoring. After Burnley equalised, Ouattara sealed the three points deep into added time with a precise finish into the bottom corner.
Meanwhile, at the Stadium of Light, Bertrand Traore inspired Sunderland to a remarkable 3-2 victory over Bournemouth. The Black Cats found themselves two goals down early on, but Traore ignited the comeback at the start of the second half. He powered home a shot from Granit Xhaka's clever pass to level the score, setting the stage for a dramatic win.
Other African Headliners Across the Continent
The weekend's action saw several other African stars make decisive contributions across Europe's top divisions.
In Spain, Cameroon's Enzo Boyomo scored a spectacular 92nd-minute bicycle kick to earn Osasuna a 2-2 draw against Mallorca. It was the defender's first goal of the season and a moment of pure brilliance.
The German Bundesliga witnessed key interventions from African players. Nicolas Jackson of Senegal secured a 3-1 win for Bayern Munich over St Pauli with a stoppage-time goal, latching onto a loose ball in midfield to score. Earlier, Benin's Andreas Hountondji had given St Pauli a shock lead at the Allianz Arena after just six minutes.
Ivory Coast winger Bazoumana Toure also found the net, scoring early to set Hoffenheim on their way to a comfortable 3-0 home victory against Augsburg.
AFCON Preparations in Full Swing
The goals from Ouattara and Traore arrive at a perfect time for Burkina Faso, known as The Stallions. The pair are set to lead their nation's attack at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. Burkina Faso has been drawn in a competitive Group D alongside Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, and Sudan.
Their performances in Europe serve as a strong warning to their group opponents and demonstrate that the Burkinabe strike force is in confident form ahead of the continental showdown.
