The crop of Arouna Didane, Yaya Toure, Didier “Maestro” Zokora, Bakary Kone, Salomon Kalou, Difier Drogba, Kader Keita, Kolo Toure and more were eclipsed by the Stallions.

Baky Kone, with all his verve, missed three scoring opportunities, after having been served most of the time by team mate, Gervinho, whose series of offensive moves came to naught. Drogba could be seen on the green turf, complaining that the passes were not flowing to him and the other attackers as expected.

The replacements carried out by the trainer of the Elephants of Ivory Coast, Vahid Halhihodzic, introducing Kader Keita, Kalou, did not change much in favour of the Elephants.

A composed Burkinabe coach, Paulo Duarte, who is also the coach of French Division Two Club, Le Mans and fondly known in Burkina Faso as Mourhino, put forth a strategy that could not allow the guys of Vahid operate with ease.

26-year-old keeper of the Burkinabe Stallions, Daouda Diakote stopped all threatening attempts from the Ivorians. Diakite and his friends were quite vigilant, except Charles Kabore who lost an 89th minute golden opportunity that would have given the Burkinabes a swell time back home.

However, some observers say a draw for Burkina Faso in the opening day in their Group B is a good start for them.

After the not too palatable show from the Ivorians on this first day in Group B, their fans are asking if their darling team will get back to action in the subsequent matches especially against Ghana.