Burundi moved a step closer to the next round of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers with a commanding 4-0 win over Chad in the first leg of their preliminary round on Friday.
The Swallows delivered an emphatic away performance at Stade Olympique Maréchal Idriss Déby Itno in N’Djamena, with goals from Jordi Liongola, Bienvenue Kanakimana, Abdoul Karim and Mossi Nduwumwe securing a dominant result.
Burundi took an early lead in the sixth minute when Liongola capitalized on defensive confusion to put the visitors ahead. The advantage was doubled in the 32nd minute through Kanakimana, giving Burundi a comfortable 2-0 lead at halftime.
Chad struggled to respond after the break as Burundi maintained control of the match. Karim extended the lead in the 63rd minute before Nduwumwe sealed the victory with a fourth goal in the 74th minute.
The result gives Burundi a strong advantage ahead of the return leg in Bujumbura, where they will look to secure qualification for the group stage.
The winner over two legs will advance to the next phase of qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Elsewhere, Somalia and Mauritius played to a 0-0 draw in their first-leg match.
With a four-goal cushion, Burundi is in a strong position to progress, while Chad faces a difficult task in the return leg.
