The fight for the second automatic qualification ticket is a winner-takes-all clash between Sudan and Burkina Faso in one of the final Group E fixtures of the Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday.
The Sudanese were left with no choice but to fight for their place in the round of 16 after a 3-0 loss to Algeria in their first outing of the 2025 competition.
And they did fight to keep their dreams of progressing to the round of 16 with a 1-0 victory over Equatorial Guinea, a win which is only their second in 14 previous encounters in the Nations Cup.
A triumph on Wednesday will guarantee them safe passage into the round of 16, but that is easier said than done, given that they have only a solitary victory in their last five matches.
Burkina Faso, on the other hand, is one of the dark horses in this competition, and they have proved that much in two matches so far.
Although they have won one and lost the other, their overall performance suggests that they could go all the way if they manage to navigate the Sudanese hurdle on Wednesday.
The Stallions demonstrated their capabilities when they fought back from a goal down and turned the game on its head to win 2-1 in added time, courtesy of goals from Georgi Minoungou and Edmond Tapsoba.
However, they could not repeat the same heroics against Algeria, making this match an important one.
Although they only need a draw in this encounter to advance to the next round, having won their opening fixture and currently enjoy the benefit of a better goal difference.
How the bookies view it: The Burkinabes are favoured by the bookies
Burkina Faso have been installed as the favourites by the bookies, and they are priced at 4/5 on Bet365 for a victory. A victory for Kwesi Appiah’s team is set at 6/1, while a full-time draw has odds of 9/5.
Head-to-head: Sudan owns the bragging rights
The only time these teams have met at the Africa Cup of Nations, Sudan came out tops with a 2-1 win in the 2012 edition of the competition.
Kwesi Appiah’s charges will be looking to repeat that feat in Morocco, but given the crucial nature of this encounter, the Falcons of Jediane will face a stern test against the Stallions on Wednesday.
Player to watch: Dango Ouattara
While he is yet to score in the competition himself, Dango Ouattara has shown why he is important to the Burkinabe team.
He assisted Georgi Minoungou for their first goal in the comeback win over Equatorial Guinea, and he will be hoping to have such an impact against Sudan.
Probable line-ups
Neither team has any new injury concerns, meaning we could see a familiar team named by both managers.
Sudan: Elneel, Barglan, Saeed Ahmed, Karshom, Khamis, Khidir, Omer, Taifour, Abdallah, Eisa, Abdelrahman
Burkina Faso: Koffi, Yago, Dayo, Tapsoba, Kouassi, Sangare, Ouedraogo, Zougrana, Traore, Kabore, Ouattara
Anything else that catches the eye?
Both teams scored in three of Burkina Faso’s last five matches, and their last meeting in this competition ended 2-1, meaning the both teams to score betting option could be valuable.
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