Burkina Faso will be looking for their first victory of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign when they face the Central African Republic in Casablanca on Monday.
The match, which will be played at the Stade Larbi Zaouli, comes after the Étalons were held to a 1-1 draw by Benin in their opening Group F fixture.
Head coach Amir Abdou has confirmed that Dango Ouattara will miss the match, while the fitness of goalkeeper Hervé Koffi remains uncertain ahead of the game.
Speaking on the eve of the fixture, Abdou provided an update on several players as Burkina Faso prepare for an important second-round encounter.
“As far as the injury situation is concerned, Edmond and Ismaïla are doing better. However, Dango Ouattara has not recovered. There is also Hervé Koffi, whom we will assess tonight before we know more.”
Abdou also confirmed that Ouattara is suffering from an illness. The coach did not provide further details about the condition affecting the Brentford player.
Ouattara had already been unavailable for Burkina Faso’s opening match against Benin, which ended in a 1-1 draw. His absence will continue for the meeting with the Central African Republic.
For Burkina Faso, the immediate priority is to turn their next opportunity into three points after dropping points at home in their opening fixture.
The Étalons were unable to secure victory in Ouagadougou against Benin, leaving them needing a positive result in Casablanca to improve their position in Group F.
Monday’s opponents also arrive looking to recover from a disappointing start.
The Central African Republic, known as the Fauves du Bas-Oubangui, lost their opening qualifying match 3-1 to Mauritania. They will therefore also be seeking a result that can revive their campaign.
Mauritania currently lead Group F after their victory over the Central African Republic on the opening matchday.
That result has put additional importance on the meeting between Burkina Faso and the Central African Republic, with both teams entering the fixture after failing to win their opening games.
Burkina Faso’s draw with Benin means they have one point from their first match, while the Central African Republic are also seeking their first points following their defeat by Mauritania.
The Étalons will now attempt to respond to their opening result by collecting a victory in Morocco.
Abdou’s squad will have to do so without Ouattara, while the situation surrounding Koffi will only become clearer after the goalkeeper is assessed.
The coach confirmed that Edmond and Ismaïla are making progress, providing a more positive update on their availability, but Ouattara’s continued absence leaves Burkina Faso without one of the players who missed the opening fixture.
With both sides aiming to recover from their respective opening results, the Casablanca encounter represents an important early test in Group F.
Burkina Faso will be seeking to move into a stronger position after their draw with Benin, while the Central African Republic will be attempting to respond to their 3-1 defeat by Mauritania.
A victory would give either side an important boost as the qualifying campaign develops, with Burkina Faso particularly focused on making amends for surrendering points in their opening home fixture.
