Ahead of their second Group B match against Madagascar at the Alexandria Stadium on Thursday, coach Olivier Niyungeko has stated that the victor from the clash will make it to the next round of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Burundi fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat to Nigeria in their opening match, while the Barea held Paul Put’s Guinea to a 2-2 draw.
Burundi and Madagascar are both Afcon debutants, and will go head-to-head with both sides still in with a chance to make it to the next phase of the competition.
Following the expansion of the biennial showpiece from 16 participating teams to 24, there will be an opportunity for a team who finishes among the four best third-placed teams across the six groups, to make it into the Round of 16.
Speaking to the media ahead of the game, the Swallows head coach believes qualification to the next round will come as a reward to the conqueror in Thursday’s tie.
“The match is extremely difficult,” Niyungeko stated in his pre-match presser.
“Whoever will win, will qualify.
“Winning and getting a positive result is all we have in mind.”
Burundi will go into the game bottom of Group B, but a win will see them move up to the second spot, following Guinea’s 1-0 defeat to Nigeria in the other group fixture held on Wednesday.
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