Burundi Make History By Reaching Chan Finals

[Folami David]

Tiny central Africa state Burundi reached the finals of a CAF senior national team competition for the first time at the weekend.
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The 'Swallows' fought back to draw 1-1 with Sudan in Omdurman in an African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier and won 4-3 on penalties.
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Sudan is a happy hunting ground for Burundi as top club Vital'O won the regional CECAFA championship there last month.
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Victory earned Burundi a place at the 16-team tournament in South African cities Bloemfontein, Cape Town and Polokwane next January.
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Burkina Faso, Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria and Uganda have also qualified.
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And South Africa are automatic participants as hosts of the biennial competition for home-based footballers.
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The remaining four places will be split between countries from the central and southern regions in a regional qualifying competition.
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Sudan were favoured after forcing a 1-1 draw in Bujumbura and first-leg scorer Nadir El Tayeb struck again 18 minutes into the return game.
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But Gilbert Kaze levelled five minutes after halftime and the Burundians proved more accurate in the shootout.
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There were many tense finishes in the other seven second legs with three settled by penalties, one by away goals and two by one-goal overall margins.
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It took the away-goal rule to decide the Congo derby in favour of Congo Brazzaville with Dimitri Bissiki scoring the lone goal a minute from time.
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The 1-0 victory squeezed the 'Red Devils' through after they lost the first leg 2-1 in the Democratic Republic of Congo three weeks ago.
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Mali were indebted to goalkeeper Soumalia Diakite after losing 1-0 to Guinea in Conakry, but advancing 3-2 on aggregate.
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He conceded a goal to Ibrahima Sory Camara just past the hour mark, but blocked a penalty from the same player soon after.
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Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe are well placed to move on after first-leg matches while the Cameroon-Gabon tie is finely balanced.
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Goals from Almiro Lobo, captain Dario Khan and Mario Sinamunda earned the Mozambicans an easier- than-expected 3-0 win over Namibia.
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The Namibians made their intentions clear by taking just one striker to Maputo, but conceded two goals within 10 second-half minutes.
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Angola await the winners in a final-round qualifier having eliminated Swaziland during June with 1-0 home and away victories.
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Zimbabwe coach Ian Gorowa could not have wished for a happier debut as his side triumphed 3-0 over Mauritius in rain-lashed Curepipe.
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Nelson Maziwisa bagged a brace and Milton Ncube one goal to virtually ensure the 'Warriors' a second- round slot.

[Shola Sholaz]

It's a great achievement for them coupled with the fact that their players are not even that dope....Congratz to them big time.