African neighbours form firm friendship in Oslo
One of six new nations at the 2025 Oslo Homeless World Cup, Burkina Faso have yet to pick up a win on the pitch- but off it, they’re winning every day, enjoying their experience in Oslo to the maximum.
On Day 6 of the competition in the Men’s Stage Two, they faced off against neighbours Ivory Coast in a fantastic match for the neutral that saw 15 goals.
Ivory Coast got off the mark first with a right foot finish high in the corner, before a great strike from distance put them 2-0 up. After Burkina Faso sent a shot just wide on their first attempt on goal, Ivory Coast broke back up the park to drill home for 3-0. Their fourth and fifth of the game soon followed via a left-footed shot into the bottom corner and a quick counter. Burkina Faso then got their first of the game, with a player sent clean through with time to pick his spot and slot it past the Ivory Coast keeper. A shot from close range then gave Ivory Coast their sixth before a right foot shot into the left corner put them 7-1 up. Ivory Coast’s keeper then parried a shot into the path of a Burkina Faso player to give them their second of the game. Before the keeper produced a smart stop to prevent Burkina Faso from registering their third.
Into the second half, Burkina Faso won and converted a penalty to make it 7-3, before Ivory Coast did the same to make it 8-3. A quick break and shot down the right wing soon saw Ivory Coast gettheir ninth, before another Burkina Faso penalty made it 9-4. Off the restart, Ivory Coast got their 10th of the game via another quick break, before the Burkina Faso keeper produced a smart save at close range to prevent Ivory Coast adding to their lead. Moments from the end, a left-foot shot from close range after some good build up play gave Burkina Faso their fifth of the game.
Burkina Faso manager Mamadou Moyenga said: “We are enjoying the competition. It’s well organised. And there are people here from so many countries. The atmosphere is also great. We love being part of it. The main purpose is to participate and not to win. But we are doing our best. We are happy because all of the players are in the same hotel. The players all say hello to each other and we’ve made friends with the Ivory Coast.”
Words by Craig Williams| Photos by Anita Milas