Traore relishes prospect of maiden World Cup

SA versus Senegal replay set for November 10 in Polokwane, Fifa confirmed

“This is it‚” Burkina Faso’s former Chelsea forward Bertrand Traore has said about Saturday’s Russia 2018 qualifier against Bafana Bafana at FNB Stadium and perhaps the Stallions’ best chance ever to reach a World Cup.

What appears to be a big factor in the talented Burkina team’s favour is that the group leaders are chasing their first World Cup appearance‚ and are supermotivated.

They have come to South Africa to strengthen that claim by beating a Bafana reeling from their back-to-back defeats against Cape Verde and the loss of three points from a match-fixing affected win against Senegal.

“It’s a dream for the whole country. For all of us‚” Traore‚ now at Lyon in France’s Ligue 1‚ said at a Stallions practice session at their training base at Ellis Park.

“Burkina is a country who has never played in a World Cup. We were nearly there on 2014‚ but we failed in the last game.

“Now we have another chance and we have to take it. If we qualify it will be a dream for the whole country.”

Fifa’s decision – called “unfair” by Traore – to annul South Africa’s 2-1 win against Senegal in Polokwane last November has affected Burkina almost as much as Bafana.

Traore said the Stallions know they need a win in Johannesburg to hold off a potential rallying challenge now by thirdplaced Senegal.

“We cannot do anything (about the Fifa decision)‚” Traore said.

“But for me it isn’t fair.

“They could have taken this decision before our games against Senegal. But it’s still in our hands if we win our last two games.

“I think we’ve been in good form since the beginning of this group‚ even if we didn’t win the first leg against Bafana and the two games against Senegal.

“We played very well in Senegal‚ and then at home we were controlling the game. And then a red card came and everything changed. But we still managed to get a result.

“And now we are still focused and we know that in these last two games‚ this is it for us.”

Burkina Faso‚ leaders on goal difference with six points from second-placed Cape Verde‚ drew 1-1 at home against Bafana in their opening game.

They then beat Cape Verde 2-0 away‚ before back-to-back draws against Senegal last month.

Bafana‚ with a lone draw against Burkina and the defeats against Cape Verde‚ have a point‚ but one more game to play than the Stallions.

Burkina’s last game is against Cape Verde at home next month.

The replay of an annulled qualifier between South Africa and Senegal will be played on November 10 in Polokwane, Fifa announced yesterday.

South Africa won the original match 2-1 last November, but a Fifa probe triggered by betting patterns led to Ghanaian referee Joseph Lamptey being found guilty of match manipulation.