By SCM Sports Writer
AL RAYAN, Qatar – Burkina Faso’s dazzling youngsters lit up the glittering Aspire Zone complex in Qatar last night, bagging a well-deserved 2-0 victory over Tajikistan in their final FIFA Under-17 World Cup Group I clash.
The goals were sweet, but the real star of the show was the mega-money playground where the action unfolded!
The “Junior Stallions” secured their spot in the knockout stages with a dominant display, leaving the lads from Tajikistan flat. Goals from Moussa Zongo (45’+4 pen) and a cracking strike from Emmanuel Ouattara (84′) sealed the deal in front of a modest but enthusiastic crowd.
But let’s be honest, the backdrop was almost as impressive as the football!
The match was played on one of the state-of-the-art pitches nestled within the sprawling Aspire Zone in Al Rayyan. This isn’t your bog-standard local park, mind you.
This is the £££ hub of Qatar’s sporting excellence, a training paradise for world-class athletes.
Imagine your local five-a-side pitch, then multiply the luxury by about a gazillion.
That’s the swanky turf these kids were tearing up. While the Khalifa International Stadium gets the glitz for the final, the bulk of this massive 48-team tournament is happening here, across eight perfect training grounds, including the one hosting the Group I showdown.
The young players from both nations were running on pitch named after a Qatari football legend – a nice touch in a country dripping with football infrastructure built for the 2022 World Cup and now hosting this youth tournament for five straight years!
Burkina Faso coach, Oscar Barro, will be delighted with his team’s performance, but you’ve got to wonder if they were just enjoying the view. These young stars of tomorrow are certainly getting a taste of the high life!
The result means Burkina Faso now advance to the last 16, while Tajikistan pack their bags after a tough tournament.
