Burkina Faso will face Argentina on Saturday with several under-23 players in the squad after some senior internationals refused to travel following days of disruption in Morocco.
The West African side had been scheduled to fly out after their 1-0 win over the Central African Republic in an AFCON 2027 qualifier in Casablanca. The planned charter flight on September 30 was cancelled without notice, leaving the delegation stranded for several days.
Alternative commercial routes involved lengthy journeys, prompting reservations among a number of players. Coach Amir Abdou responded by calling up members of the U23 selection at short notice. The Burkinabè Football Federation described the situation as a “beautiful opportunity” for the young players to prove themselves.
Sports Minister, federation president and Burkina Faso’s ambassador to Morocco all intervened to resolve the logistics. A special charter eventually departed Casablanca on Friday night and landed in Buenos Aires only hours before the 9pm local kick-off at the Estadio Monumental.
The match forms part of Argentina’s international schedule. Burkina Faso’s hastily assembled squad will now test themselves against the world champions under difficult preparation conditions.
