Pre-tournament favorite Senegal takes on upstart Burkina Faso on Wednesday with a spot in the final on the line in the Africa Cup of Nations in Yaounde, Cameroon. Neither team has won the tournament before, but Senegal came in as the +550 favorite at most sportsbooks, while Burkina Faso was a +4000 long shot. The winner of this match will take on Egypt or Cameroon, who meet in Thursday’s second semifinal, in the championship match. Senegal, which has standouts from several of the world’s top club teams, beat Equatorial Guinea 3-1 in its quarterfinal match Sunday, while youthful Burkina Faso edged Tunisia 1-0 on Saturday.
Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists Senegal as the -114 favorite (risk $114 to win $100) on the 90-minute money line in its latest Burkina Faso vs. Senegal odds, with Burkina Faso the +430 underdog. A draw is priced at +190 and the Over-Under for total goals scored is set at 1.5. Before you lock in your Senegal vs. Burkina Faso picks or make any Africa Cup of Nations predictions, you have to see what proven soccer insider Jon Eimer has to say.
Eimer is a high-volume bettor who has vast knowledge of leagues and players across the globe. Since joining SportsLine, Eimer has covered the English Premier League, Serie A, the FA Cup and much more. The Indiana-based handicapper compiled a winning record of 260-133-1 with over 90 units of profit for his community on various platforms over a recent two-month stretch.
Now, Eimer has broken down Burkina Faso vs. Senegal from all sides and just locked in his coveted picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see Eimer’s picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Senegal vs. Burkina Faso:
- Burkina Faso vs. Senegal spread: Senegal -0.5 (-120)
- Burkina Faso vs. Senegal over-under: 1.5 goals
- Burkina Faso vs. Senegal money line: Burkina Faso +430, Senegal -114, Draw +190
- BF: Bertrand Traore has scored 13 goals in 63 games
- SEN: Sadio Mane has 28 goals in 84 international matches
Why you should back Senegal
The Senegalese have the clear edge in talent, starting in the back with elite Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. He has an 81 percent save percentage (second in EPL) and eight clean sheets for the Blues this season. The goal in the quarterfinal match is the only one Senegal has allowed in its past six games. Mendy has a strong wall in front of him, with defenders Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli) and Abdou Diallo (Paris Saint-Germain) holding things down the middle.
Liverpool’s Sadio Mane is the catalyst of the attack. He set up a goal by Famara Diedhiou, who plays with Alanyaspor in the Turkish Super Lig, in Sunday’s victory. Cheikhou Kouyate (Crystal Palace) and Ismaila Sarr (Watford) both scored Sunday after coming on as subs, and Boulaye Dia (Villareal) also can be a dangerous option in attack. The squad has lost just one match since the start of 2021, and it was the runner-up at AFCON 2019, losing 1-0 to Algeria.
Why you should back Burkina Faso
The team will come in confident and with a chip on its shoulder. Burkina Faso has lost one official game since January 2021, to fellow semifinalist Cameroon in the AFCON group stage at the beginning of January. These teams have met 12 times before, and eight of those were draws, including the past three. Senegal has three wins and Burkina Faso two. The Stallions have scored at least once in 12 of their past 13 games and have put up seven clean sheets over that span.
The team will have an extra day of rest and has solid young attackers, though 19-year-old Dango Ouattara was sent off after scoring Saturday. Cyrille Bayala and Gustavo Sangare are both 25 and each has a goal in this tournament, and 22-year-old Djibril Ouattara has had his chances. The team’s best-known player is Aston Villa’s Bertrand Traore, who has 13 goals in 63 appearances. He scored in a 1-1 draw in the Round of 16, and Burkina Faso won on penalties.
How to make Burkina Faso vs. Senegal picks
Eimer has taken a close look at Senegal vs. Burkina Faso from every angle. He is leaning Over on the goal total and has a strong play on the winner to go with his full breakdown of the match. He’s only sharing his African Cup of Nations picks and predictions at SportsLine.
So who wins Senegal vs. Burkina Faso in Wednesday’s Africa Cup of Nations semifinal? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for Burkina Faso vs. Senegal, all from the soccer expert who has his finger on the pulse of the game all over the world, and find out.
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