AFP, Yaounde

Burkina Faso coach Kamou Malo admitted that news of political unrest in the country is spurring his team on at the Africa Cup of Nations as they prepare for Wednesday’s semi-final against Senegal.

“These goings-on give us added motivation,” said Malo, whose side are through to the last four after edging Tunisia 1-0 in the quarter-finals.

“We dedicated that victory to the people back home who are going through a turbulent time politically and socially.”

The west African nation has been battling a jihadist insurgency, while last week President Roch Marc Christian Kabore was overthrown in a military coup. On Monday Burkina Faso was suspended from the African Union.

“We have been dealing with this terrorism for a number of years now and it continues to plunge our people into mourning, so our objective is to give them something to smile about,” Malo said.

“We won’t hold back if through our efforts on the field we can offer some hope.People are already asking me to bring back the trophy and that is what we would love to do.”