Burkina Faso’s U17 women’s team have taken a significant step towards qualification for the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup after securing a 3-1 victory over Benin in the first leg of their qualifier.
The match, played on April 11, 2026, saw the Young Stallions deliver a dominant first-half performance, giving them a strong advantage ahead of the return fixture.
Backed by home support at the Stade du 4 Août, Burkina Faso started brightly and quickly imposed themselves on the game.
Their early pressure paid off in the sixth minute when Rihanna Sana opened the scoring, giving the hosts a deserved lead.
The forward continued to trouble the Benin defence and doubled her tally just eight minutes later, making it 2-0 and putting her side firmly in control.
Burkina Faso’s attacking momentum did not slow down, and they extended their advantage in the 20th minute through Tewende Simporé, who added a third goal to cap a clinical opening spell.
By the end of the first half, the home side had established a commanding position in the tie.
Benin, however, showed resilience after the break. The Amazons improved their performance in the second half and began to create more attacking opportunities.
Their efforts were rewarded in the 71st minute when Romaine Gandonou won a penalty and converted it, reducing the deficit to 3-1.
The goal provided a lifeline for Benin heading into the second leg, although the team faced further challenges as the match progressed.
Reduced to 10 players, they struggled to mount a full comeback, allowing Burkina Faso to maintain control of the result.
The outcome leaves Burkina Faso in a strong position as they look to complete the job in the return leg.
Their early dominance and clinical finishing proved decisive, while Benin will now need a significant response to overturn the deficit.
The second leg of the qualifier is scheduled for April 17, 2026, and will be played in Lomé at the Stade de Kégué.
With qualification for the global tournament at stake, both teams are expected to approach the decisive fixture with urgency.
For Burkina Faso, the focus will be on maintaining their advantage and building on the confidence gained from their first-leg performance.
For Benin, the challenge will be to recover and produce a strong display capable of reversing the tie.
