Thrilled crowds on Saturday celebrated in Burkina Faso’s capital after their national team beat Tunisia in the Africa Cup of Nations, providing welcome respite after a military coup in the country.
Supporters in Ouagadougou pounded their vehicle horns and blew into vuvuzuelas after the Burkinabe Stallions beat the North African side 1-0 in a Cup of Nations quarter-final in Cameroon.
“After everything we’ve been through, football is allowing us to get back a little love of life,” said Arsene Kabore, who wore the national team’s vest inscribed with his name.
Photo: AFP
The victory came after a military junta seized power from former Burkinabe president Roch Marc Christian Kabore on Monday last week after weeks of unrest, including over a deadly militant insurgency in the West African country.
At a public screening of the match, the crowd was able to briefly forget their concerns and instead cheer on player Dango Ouattara as he scored the game’s single goal on the stroke of halftime.
Agronomist Zakaria Bouda said that the win was a joyous distraction after a tense week.
“It’s a victory for Burkina [Faso] that will allow some reconciliation,” he said.
Ouagadougou residents are supposed to return home by midnight under a nighttime curfew installed by the country’s new rulers.
However, Freddy Sawadogo, a doctor, said he did not care.
“Tonight there’s no curfew,” he said. “Even the soldiers are celebrating.”
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