Burundi-Cameroon : no need to sing victory before the war

Burundi will not participate in AFCON 2024. It was eliminated even if the Intamba fans sang victory before the game. The Indomitable Lions were not defeated by the Intamba. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

Since 4 p.m., a gathering of fans of the Intamba (Burundi national team) took place at the United Nations roundabout, in the urban zone of Ngagara, north of Bujumbura, the commercial capital.

Colored or dressed in red, green and white, several fans of the Burundian team were on site.

A march was improvised with songs in honor of Étienne Ndayiragije’s men. “We swear to beat these guys. Beat the guys. Intamba oyeee!”, chanted more than a hundred Intamba (the Swallows) fans.

The group grew larger as it approached the city. After the ‘Peuple Murundi’ boulevard, they passed through the Jabe market and the Nyakabiga neighborhood to finally find themselves in the city center.

Sign of support

According to an Intamba fan, “this is a sign of support for the Burundi national team”.

In town, at the bus parking lot serving the north of Bujumbura, the crowd became larger. Passengers waiting in line for buses cheered. The crowd resumed the race singing after 6:30 p.m.

Disillusionment

Around 9 p.m., the national anthem of Burundi rang out from Cameroon to Kigobe (north of Bujumbura) where one of our reporters was, followed by cheers.

During the first period of the match, Burundians surprised everyone. “The great Onana (Cameroon goalkeeper) will have his work cut out for him. Caleb, Saidi and other Burundians are putting him to the test”, several fans exclaimed.

“Panic in the Cameroon camp. Burundians clearly dominate and amaze the whole world, but André Onana, goalkeeper of Manchester United keeps the clean sheet”, estimated a fan of the Intamba.

During the second period, the trend was reversed. Less than a minute to concede the first of 3 goals. Goals conceded, sometimes following errors. So the final whistle blew.

The Swallows exited through the back door after a nightmarish second period of the match.

The silence is absolute in this Kigobe bar where fans left without saying goodbye. Some joked that Burundi should find a new name for its national team because according to them, “the Swallows have never defeated the Lions yet indomitable”.