Sub-Saharan Africa is barely a part of the coronavirus international crisis.
Over a billion people live in that area, but only 2,838 detected cases have been reported, and 41 people died due to the COVID-19.
Poor health services and a lack of sufficient infrastructure are causing a real challenge to the implementation of preventing measures. Although the number of detected cases is lower compared to Europe or East Asia, some countries in Africa decided to suspend the leagues. In Burundi, a country with not a single confirmed coronavirus case, football is being played as usual. With crowds in the stands, the domestic league and cup are still being played.
Football in Burundi emerged quickly in recent years. Most of it was thanks to Saido Berahino’s decision to represent the national team. Burundi has qualified to their debut Africa Cup of Nations last year, and even though they failed to win any match, it has brought hope for the future. Although they were already knocked out of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers by Tanzania and lost their first two matches in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, Burundi was expected to produce better results in the canceled international break. They were scheduled to play twice against Mauritania, but those games were postponed.
Meanwhile, the fans have a chance to enjoy the domestic league. Four matches left, and there is still a title race between two clubs - Le Messager, the 2018 champions who lead by four points, and Musongati, who never won the league before. The reigning champions, Aigle Noir, as well as the top Burundian club, Vital'O, are far away behind them in the 3rd and the 4th place.
This week, the league was in a break due to the Coupe du Président quarter-finals. The match of the week was between Vital'O and Musongati. The fans arrived at Intwari Stadium but could feel disappointed, as the clubs failed to score. Both teams will need to find the net in the second leg on April 12.
Last season's champions, Aigle Noir, are also the current cup holders. They managed to win their first match against Atlético Olympic 4-2, and they are getting closer to the semifinals. Inter Stars, who won their last cup in 1990, want to end their 30-year drought, and they defeated Bujumbura City 2-0.
Buhmuza is the last second-tier club left in the tournament. In the previous round, they surprised Kayanza United with two defeats and a 4-2 aggregate win. Last weekend they played against Rukinzo, who struggles at the bottom of the first division. Rukinzo won 1-0, but Buhumza still has a chance to make another upset in the second leg.