Week four of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers will get underway on Sunday evening with Burundi taking on Burkina Faso at Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny.

preview：

Burundi are participating in their 11th AFCON qualification campaign, but have only made it to the main draw of Africa's biggest cup competition once, which was back in the 2019 edition when they were knocked out in the group stage without winning a game.

Les Hirondelles got their qualification off to a bright start, beating Malawi 3-2 on the road last month, but they failed to build on that result, losing 1-0 to African powerhouse Senegal four days later.

Last week, the Swallows flew out of the traps against Burkina Faso and took the lead inside the first five minutes of play thanks to an early Bienvenue Kanakimana goal, but some shocking defending late in the half saw them concede three goals before the interval and the Stallions pulled out of sight with a fourth only three minutes after the restart.

Despite the result, Etienne Ndayiragije would have taken a few positives from the match, the biggest likely being that his side managed to register more shots at goal than their opponents with just 40% possession across the 90.

With that result, Burundi have now lost all three matches they have ever played against Burkina Faso, conceding nine goals during that period while only scoring twice themselves.

Meanwhile, Burkina Faso have been a regular feature at the Africa Cup of Nations over the past decade, having only failed to reach the main draw once (2019) in each of the last eight editions.

In the tournament hosted by the Ivory Coast earlier this year, the Stallions reached the round of 16, which followed a fourth-placed finish in 2021 and a bronze medal in Gabon back in the 2017 competition.

After the first three rounds of qualifying this year, Brama Traore's side are in a very strong position to book their spot in Morocco, currently leading the group with seven points and holding a healthy +5 goal difference.

Since taking up the head coaching role back in March, Traore has now overseen five competitive matches and only lost one, which was his first against Egypt, meaning he is now unbeaten in the last four, including two draws and back-to-back wins ahead of this one.

Notably, Burkina Faso have scored in every match since Traore's arrival and the eight goals they have netted in this competition to date is the second-most of any participating nation only behind Algeria.

Burundi possible starting lineup:

Nahimana; Muderi, Manirakoze, Bukuru, Musore; Mossi, Madjaliwa, Eldhino; Shabani, Kirongozi, Girumugisha

Burkina Faso possible starting lineup:

F Ouedraogo; Kabore, Dayo, Tapsoba, M Ouedraogo; Badolo, Banse, Toure; B Traore, L Traore, Ouattara