Category: The Citizen

Dhurandhar, the Ranveer Singh led action drama directed by Aditya Dhar, has created history at the global box office. Released on December 5, 2025, the Hindi-language film has completed a powerful month in cinemas and emerged as the highest-grossing Indian film ever in a single language.

According to studio estimates, Dhurandhar has earned approximately 150 US million dolars worldwide, a landmark achievement for a Hindi-only release. The film has maintained its dominance despite competition from multiple new releases, performing strongly in both domestic and international markets.

Its overseas run, particularly in North America, has helped it overtake previous Bollywood benchmarks. For Ranveer Singh, Dhurandhar represents a major career milestone.

It is the first film of his career to cross the 120 US million dollars mark globally, significantly boosting his overall box-office standing. With this success, the combined earnings of all films featuring Ranveer Singh have now climbed to over 505 US million dollars worldwide.

This achievement places him among a small, elite group of Bollywood stars whose cumulative box-office collections have crossed the half-billion-dollar milestone. With sustained audience interest, Dhurandhar has firmly cemented its place as a historic blockbuster in Hindi cinema.

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Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar met the president of Somaliland on Tuesday, 10 days after Israel became the first country to formally recognise the breakaway region in the Horn of Africa as an independent and sovereign state. A Somaliland government source and a regional diplomat said other countries were preparing to follow suit and recognise Somaliland, despite an outcry from Somalia which says such moves threaten its sovereignty.

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Senator Ted Cruz said in a post on X on Monday that recognising Somaliland was aligned with U.S.

security interests, calling it “an ally that shares our values in a region vital to global trade and counterterrorism.” Why is Somaliland location strategic? Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991, occupies a strategic location at the juncture of the Indian Ocean and Red Sea, with its Berbera port giving access to some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.

Ships plying those routes have faced attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militia, and analysts say countering that threat is part of Israel’s move to recognise Somaliland and could lead to a military cooperation agreement between the two. Somaliland, however, has denied recognition allows for Israel to establish military bases there or for the resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza.

Which other countries could recognise Somaliland? Landlocked Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous country, has also set its sights on Somaliland, announcing in 2024 a memorandum of understanding to lease an area around the Berbera port in exchange for Addis Ababa recognising the region’s independence. That deal prompted an angry response from Somalia, and drew the Mogadishu government closer to Egypt, which has quarrelled with Ethiopia for years over Addis Ababa’s construction of a vast hydropower dam on the Nile River, and to Eritrea, another of Ethiopia’s longtime foes.

Turkey has close ties with both Ethiopia and Somalia, training Somalia’s security forces and supplying development assistance in return for a foothold on the key global shipping route. After talks mediated by Turkey, Ethiopia agreed in December 2024 to work with Somalia to resolve the dispute, but it is now rumoured to be readying to recognise Somaliland.

India has denied talk on X that it was also preparing to recognise Somaliland, although some analysts say it should do so to counter Chinese economic influence in the Horn of Africa, specifically Djibouti, as well as in Kenya and Tanzania. The United Arab Emirates, which in 2020 normalised relations with Israel under the U.

S.-brokered Abraham Accords, has carved its own sphere of influence in the region.

It runs the Berbera port through Dubai’s state owned company DP World, as well as Berbera’s airport and a free-trade zone located between the port and the airport. .

Dar es Salaam. Two Chinese nationals who were arrested after a large sum of cash was found in their residence have been arraigned on economic sabotage charges, including leading an organised criminal gang and laundering more than Sh2 billion.

The accused, Weis Wang, 44, a resident of Masaki in Dar es Salaam and Dong, China, and Yao Licong, 32, also a Masaki resident originally from Jiangxi, China, appeared before the Dar es Salaam Resident Magistrate’s Court at Kisutu on Wednesday January 7, 2026. Reading out the charges, State Attorney Benjamini Muroto told the court that the two face two counts: leading an organised criminal gang and money laundering. On the first count, Mr Muroto alleged that the accused committed the offence on various dates between December 1, 2024 and December 30, 2025, in several locations including Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Mwanza, Unguja in Zanzibar, and other areas within the United Republic of Tanzania.

He said that during the said period and in those locations, the accused coordinated criminal activities including forgery, theft of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card information, tax evasion and obtaining money through fraudulent means. The prosecution said the offences were committed contrary to Paragraph 4(1)(a) of the First Schedule and Sections 57(1) and 61(2) of the Organised Crime Control Act, Chapter 200, Revised Edition 2023. On the second count, Mr Muroto alleged that on the same dates and in the same locations, the accused laundered funds amounting to $707,875 and Sh281.71 million, knowing that the money was proceeds of a predicate offence, namely leading an organised criminal gang.

He said the offence was committed contrary to Sections 12(1)(a) and 13(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, Chapter 423, Revised Edition 2023. After the charges were read, the Principal Resident Magistrate, Beda Nyaki, informed the accused that since the matter involves economic sabotage, they were not required to enter a plea as the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case on its merits. “This is not a court with jurisdiction over economic sabotage offences, therefore you will not be required to answer anything here.

Once investigations are completed, you will be taken to the High Court, Economic and Corruption Offences Division, where you will be accorded the right to be heard,” said Magistrate Nyaki. He added that the money laundering charge is non-bailable, ordering that the accused be remanded in custody until the case is transferred to the High Court.

The State Attorney informed the court that investigations are ongoing and requested another date for mention. Magistrate Nyaki adjourned the case to January 21, 2025, for mention and to review the progress of investigations.

Earlier reports about the arrest of the two Chinese nationals and the seizure of large sums of cash packed in big sack-like bags were issued by the Oysterbay Local Government chairperson, who claimed the suspects were arrested following information from good Samaritans and that Sh6 billion had been recovered. However, Kinondoni Regional Anti-Corruption Bureau (Takukuru) head Christian Nyakizee dismissed the claims, saying they were inaccurate.

He said the correct amount is the one stated in the charge sheet, adding that Takukuru officers had invited the street chairperson to witness the arrest and search conducted by investigators. .

Washington. The White House said on Tuesday that President Donald Trump is discussing options for acquiring Greenland, including potential use of the US military, in a revival of his ambition to control the strategic island despite European objections.

Trump sees acquiring Greenland as a US national security priority necessary to “deter our adversaries in the Arctic region,” the White House said in a statement. “The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the US military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal,” the White House said.

Greenland has repeatedly said it does not want to be part of the United States. Leaders from major European powers and Canada rallied behind the Arctic territory on Tuesday, saying it belongs to its people.

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military seizure of Greenland from a longtime ally, Denmark, would send shock waves through the NATO alliance and deepen the divide between Trump and European leaders. The strong opposition has not deterred Trump from reviewing how to make Greenland a US hub in an area where there is growing interest from Russia and China.

Trump’s interest, initially voiced in 2019 during his first term in office, has been rekindled in recent days in the wake of the US arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Emboldened by Maduro’s capture last weekend, Trump has voiced his belief that “American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again,” and has put pressure on both Colombia and Cuba.

He has also started talking about Greenland again after putting it on the back burner for months. A senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said Trump and his advisers are discussing a variety of ways to acquire Greenland.

Is Greenland for sale? Those options include the outright US purchase of Greenland or forming a Compact of Free Association with the territory, the official said. A COFA agreement would stop short of Trump’s ambition to make the island of 57,000 people a part of the United States.

The official did not provide a potential purchase price. “Diplomacy is always the president’s first option with anything, and dealmaking.

He loves deals. So if a good deal can be struck to acquire Greenland, that would definitely be his first instinct,” the official said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers that recent administration threats against Greenland did not signal an imminent invasion and that the goal is to buy the island from Denmark during a classified briefing late on Monday for congressional leaders, two sources familiar with the briefing The Wall Street Journal first reported Rubio’s comment. Members of Congress, including some of Trump’s fellow Republicans, pushed back against the administration’s comments on Greenland, noting that NATO member Denmark has been a loyal US ally.

“When Denmark and Greenland make it clear that Greenland is not for sale, the United States must honor its treaty obligations and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark,” Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, the co-chairs of the Senate NATO Observer Group, said in a statement. Administration officials say the island is crucial to the US due to its deposits of minerals important for high-tech and military applications.

These resources remain untapped due to labor shortages, scarce infrastructure and other challenges. “It’s not going away,” the official said about the president’s drive to acquire Greenland during his remaining three years in office.

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Dar es Salaam. The Bank of Tanzania’s newly gazetted non-interest banking regulations have raised optimism for growth of Islamic finance which is expected to open up a new chapter.

Published under Government Notice No. 688 on December 19, the Banking and Financial Institutions (Non-Interest Banking Business) Regulations, 2025 are widely seen as the country’s first comprehensive attempt to mainstream Shari’ah-compliant finance, replacing years of reliance on temporary regulatory waivers.

Speaking on the intent behind the framework, central bank’s Governor Emmanuel Tutuba said the regulations are designed to expand financial access to people who have historically stayed outside the banking system because of faith-based concerns. “The objective is to widen the space and accommodate stakeholders who could not access banking services due to their beliefs.

Shari’ah-compliant banking follows Islamic principles and offers an opportunity for many more citizens to participate in the financial system,” he said. Mr Tutuba noted that before the new framework, banks relied on regulatory waivers to offer non-interest products, a temporary arrangement that had limited scale and consistency.

“In the past, we issued waivers for institutions to offer non-interest products. That is how the Zanzibar government was able to issue Sukuk bonds.

Now we are moving away from waivers and providing a proper legal framework,” he said. According to the governor, the regulations create room for banks to diversify their offerings while stimulating savings, investment and capital market participation.

“This is an opportunity for banks to provide alternative products to customers and to attract more people to deposit, buy shares and invest in instruments such as Sukuk, or even borrow in a Shari’ah-compliant way,” he added. Under the new rules, any conventional bank wishing to establish a non-interest banking window must submit a detailed feasibility study report to the Bank of Tanzania, including a three-year balance sheet and income forecast, a list of proposed Shari’ah-compliant products, a dedicated organizational structure and a written commitment to fully segregate non-interest funds from conventional banking operations .

Banks are also required to set up a specialized non-interest banking unit at head office level to oversee compliance, coordinate Shari’ah advisory services and ensure that funds are invested strictly in accordance with Islamic commercial jurisprudence. Perhaps the most transformative provision is the mandatory establishment of a Shari’ah Advisory Committee for every non-interest bank or banking window.

The committee, composed of at least three qualified experts, will approve products, review compliance audits and oversee the treatment and disposal of non-permissible income. The regulations also introduce rules on how profits from Shari’ah-compliant investments are shared with depositors, requiring banks to set aside reserves to cushion potential losses arising from profit-sharing projects.

Any income found to be non-compliant with Shari’ah must be isolated in a separate account and donated to registered charitable organisations under strict conditions, and cannot be treated as part of a bank’s corporate social responsibility . Head of Islamic Banking at KCB Bank Tanzania Mr Amour Muro, said the new framework formalizes practices that banks have already been implementing in the market.

“What the Bank of Tanzania has done is to put into law what has effectively been happening in practice. The regulations have touched the important basics, governance, product approval, risk management and disclosures which are critical for the sustainable growth of Islamic banking,” he said.

Mr Muro added that the framework will boost investor confidence by signalling that Tanzania is serious about building a credible Islamic finance industry. “It sends a strong message to investors that the country is committed to developing this space in an orderly and transparent way.

That confidence is essential if we want to attract both local and international capital,” he said. He also stressed that the new rules will support inclusive finance by enabling banks to reach customers who have remained outside the formal system because of religious considerations.

“We still have a long way to go, and as implementation progresses there will be areas that require refinement. But we are optimistic that as we move forward, many of the proposals we have submitted to the regulator will be taken on board and the framework will continue to improve,” he said.

Islamic finance consultant Abdallah Ndele said the regulations mark a turning point for Tanzania’s financial system. “The regulation is one of the steps in the right direction.

It is a good and timely response by the central bank,” he said, adding that while refinements may come later, the move deserves strong praise. “Adjustments will continue as we move forward, but this is a commendable step by the Bank of Tanzania,” Mr Ndele said.

He pointed out that the new framework aligns with recent reforms across the wider financial ecosystem, including the Capital Markets and Securities (Corporate and Subnational Sukuk Bonds) Guidelines, 2023 issued by the Capital Markets and Securities Authority, and the Takaful Operational Guidelines, 2022 released by the Tanzania Insurance Regulatory Authority (TIRA). “If you look at these regulations together, you can see that Tanzania is taking concrete steps to build a complete Islamic finance ecosystem,” he said.

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Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s national football team, the Taifa Stars, is set to return home tomorrow to a hero’s welcome at Julius Kambarage Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) in Dar es Salaam after making history at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Morocco.

The team is scheduled to arrive at 10am, aboard a special Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner provided courtesy of President Samia Suluhu Hassan. The gesture, announced by Government Chief Spokesperson and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports Gerson Msigwa, is in recognition of the players and team officials for reaching the last 16 of the Afcon finals for the first time in Tanzania’s history.

Ahead of the special flight, the Taifa Stars returned to the country in two groups, while key players such as team captain Mbwana Samatta have already departed for France to rejoin their clubs in Ligue 1. This historic run in Morocco marked a new chapter for Tanzanian football, as the team collected two points and became the first Tanzanian side to advance to the knockout stages of the Afcon.

Despite their elimination at the hands of tournament hosts Morocco, the team’s performance was widely applauded. The last-minute incident in the match, where referee Boubou Camara of Mali denied Tanzania a potential penalty, drew criticism from many football stakeholders who felt the team was denied a fair chance to equalize.

Msigwa confirmed that upon arrival, the Taifa Stars would receive a warm reception at Terminal 3 of JNIA. Later on Saturday, a special ceremony will be held at the State House in Dar es Salaam, where President Samia Suluhu Hassan will personally congratulate the players, coaching staff, and team officials.

The celebration will not be limited to football. Msigwa explained that other Tanzanian sportsmen and women who have excelled internationally will also attend the occasion.

Among them will be athletics star Alphonce Simbu, representatives from boxing, the Tanzania Women’s Futsal national team, the women’s football team Twiga Stars, cricketers, and other outstanding athletes. The event aims to honor Tanzania’s sporting achievements across multiple disciplines and inspire the next generation of athletes.

The historic Afcon journey has energized Tanzanian football fans and highlighted the progress the national team has made in recent years. It represents not only a sporting achievement but also a moment of national pride, as Tanzania demonstrated its potential on the continental stage.

As the Taifa Stars return home, the celebrations promise to be a fitting tribute to their determination, resilience, and the unity they inspired across the nation. .

Dar es Salaam. In the bustling corridors of Dar es Salaam’s busiest markets, a hidden economy hums quietly beneath the chaos of daily trade.

Traders are buying and selling market stalls and rooms–locally called “frames”–turning official allocations into valuable commodities. What was meant to be a regulated system has grown into a shadow market, neither fully legal nor entirely policed, yet for many, it is a lifeline.

At Kariakoo Market, the city’s largest and most iconic trading hub, Prof Riziki Shemdoe, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office for Regional Administration and Local Government, has issued clear instructions to market authorities. During his visit on December 24, 2025, to inspect ongoing renovations–which began in January 2022 and were handed over to the Kariakoo Market Authority in August 2025–he emphasised that all stall allocations must reflect market value and genuinely benefit traders.

“No individual should bypass official procedures,” Prof Shemdoe said, highlighting the government’s aim to ensure fairness, prevent exploitation, and uphold President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s vision for orderly, inclusive markets. Deputy Regional Administrative Secretary (Infrastructure), Mr Aman Mafuru, said the renovation incorporated robust infrastructure, including fire safety systems, goods-lifting lifts, and facilities designed to serve both traders and buyers.

Yet, beyond Kariakoo, in markets like Mwenge, Magomeni, and Tandale, the reality on the ground tells a different story. Here, traders have built their own informal economy–an intricate web of agreements and transactions that operates in parallel with official allocations.

In Mwenge Market, Juma Kireba, a veteran clothing trader, gestures toward the tightly packed rows of stalls. “Sometimes you are stuck.

Sales are slow, capital is tight, and waiting for official allocation can take months. Selling a frame allows you to recover money and move elsewhere.

It’s survival,” he says. “Without it, trading in these crowded markets would be almost impossible.

Official allocations are slow, and spots are limited. This is how we keep our businesses alive,” he added.

Nearby, footwear vendor Maimuna Hafidhi nods in agreement. “Some buy frames deliberately, hoping to resell at a higher price.

You might pay six million shillings today, eight million tomorrow. Prime spots are scarce, and this is how we survive.

Waiting for official allocations could mean never getting a viable space,” she says. Mobile phone vendor Matiko Charles adds another dimension.

“These frames are more than just space–they are our daily bread. People even sell frames before completing their rent payments.

Prices fluctuate depending on location, traffic, and potential sales. We are just adapting to reality,” he explains.

At Magomeni Market, traders describe the practice as a matter of trust and timing. “Buying a frame from another trader is often the only way to start immediately.

The market is busy, customers are many, and you are confident of recouping your investment,” says Johari Nzinga, a food vendor. Godwin Edward, who sells shoes nearby, adds: “It’s not about cheating the system.

Official channels are slow. If you want to trade today, you need a solution now.

Buying from someone else guarantees a prime spot immediately.” In these markets, informal agreements can be surprisingly sophisticated.

Naomi Josephat, a mobile phone vendor, explains: “Sometimes the original owner retains certain rights or receives compensation if business falters. Trust is everything.

Break that trust, and you’re out.” The shadow trade is not limited to large stalls.

In Tandale Market, spaces for tables and small kiosks can fetch up to 1.5 million shillings.

Hassan Hassan, a vendor there, says the high prices reflect steady foot traffic and guaranteed business continuity. Amina Babu, who sells clothes and electronics, calls the system “practical and necessary.

” “Without these informal trades, many of us would struggle. Official allocations alone cannot meet demand.

Buying a frame benefits both buyer and seller and ensures business keeps moving,” she says. She notes that while the informal system carries risks, disputes over payments, ownership, or stall use sometimes erupt, especially when a single frame changes hands multiple times–market elders often step in to mediate.

“Most traders know each other, so agreements are usually respected. It’s a system built on mutual trust.

Ironically, it complements official allocations rather than undermines them,” she says. The informal trade also makes economic sense.

By allowing stalls to change hands, capital is recirculated, traders can relocate to higher-traffic areas, and new entrants gain access without waiting for official allocations. “It’s a cycle that keeps business moving.

You buy, sell, and trade carefully, but everyone benefits in the end,” she says. However, when contacted by The Citizen regarding the matter, Prof Shemdoe emphasised: “The position we announced in Kariakoo applies to all markets across Tanzania.

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Rabat. Algeria substitute Adil Boulbina slammed home a last-gasp winner a minute from the end of extra time as his side overcame the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 on Tuesday to book a place in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals.

Just as the round-of-16 tie was headed to a penalty shootout, Boulbina cut in off the left wing before unleashing a dipping shot that flew in, clipping the underside of the crossbar on the way. It was as much as the more enterprising Algerians deserved, having created more opportunities throughout the toughly contested encounter.

Algeria will now be up against Nigeria in their quarter-final tie in Marrakesh on Saturday. Algeria dominated the early stages at the Stade Moulay El Hassan as the Congolese adopted a cautious approach, and flying fullback Rafik Belghali caused panic when he whipped in a 21st-minute cross that DR Congo captain Chancel Mbemba, in his effort to clear, almost turned into his own net.

But by the midway point of the half, DR Congo had forged a good chance of their own with a breakaway from Cedric Bakambu that forced a save from Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane. The resultant corner was headed narrowly wide by Axel Tuanzebe.

Both sides traded rare chances as Ibrahima Maza went close to the target three minutes before halftime, and Mbemba had a back-post effort from a corner blocked in the 59th minute. Algeria more attacking in final stages Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez made little contribution but, before being taken off in the 70th minute, drove his free kick narrowly over the Congolese crossbar.

His teammates, however, probed in the closing stages and saw Mohamed Amoura strike an effort from an angle straight at the Congolese goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi, who made another smart stop to deny substitute Anis Hadj Moussa in the 86th minute. In extra time, substitute Baghdad Bounedjah miscued a chance, and when he did connect properly soon after, forced a fumble out of Mpasi, but the goalkeeper recovered quickly.

Mpasi, a reserve at Ligue 1’s Le Havre, then kept his side in the contest with two sharp saves from Fares Chaibi in the final 10 minutes of extra time but there was nothing he could do to stop Boulbina’s piledriver. “I believe we deserved to win based on what our players delivered,” said Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic.

“We controlled two-thirds of the match and played good football, even though we faced some challenges during the game. I think we managed the match professionally.

” For DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre it was a disappointing outcome. “Unfortunately, luck wasn’t on our side, but I have no complaints about the players.

We must hold our heads high because we gave everything we had,” he added. .

Dar es Salaam. Health minister Mohamed Mchengerwa, yesterday called for the review of salaries and benefits for public health workers, citing wide and unjustified pay disparities among staff with similar academic qualifications.

Speaking in Dar es Salaam during the inauguration of the Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI), he said the Health ministry will collaborate with the Prime Minister’s OfficeRegional Administration and Local Government (Tamisemi) in the review. Mr Mchengerwa added that it was unacceptable for a specialist doctor employed under Tamisemi to earn significantly less than a mid-level doctor working at the Health ministry.

“It is also neither logical nor acceptable for a doctor who has spent between 10 and 15 years in training to earn the same as a mid-level practitioner. This is not about favouring anyone; it is about fairness and sustainability in the health sector,” he said.

He said the government was attentive to concerns raised by health workers and ready to take measures aimed at improving their working conditions and the quality of services delivered to the public. Health workers, Mr Mchengerwa stressed, are the backbone of the national health system and should be recognised through remuneration and benefits that reflect their workload, responsibilities and working environment.

“The review is intended to boost morale and productivity, improve the quality of health services and make the public health sector more attractive to professionals, thereby reducing the shift to private practice.” The minister added that applying different pay scales to doctors under the Ministry of Health and those employed by Tamisemi was inequitable and counterproductive, noting that the anomaly must be corrected.

“I’m asking the Permanent Secretaries of the Ministry of Health and Tamisemi to take immediate steps and conduct a comprehensive review of doctors’ remuneration, factoring in education, specialisation and sub-specialisation,” he said. Mr Mchengerwa said recommendations from the two offices would be submitted to his ministry before being forwarded to President Samia Suluhu Hassan for further consideration.

He added that the initiative was in line with the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) policies and election manifesto, as well as President Samia’s commitment to strengthening healthcare as a pillar of social and economic development. Earlier, ahead of the board’s inauguration, a representative of the Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary, Dr Omary Ugubuyu, said Tanzania records about 45,000 new cancer cases each year, with an estimated 30,000 related deaths.

He said the government, in collaboration with various stakeholders, had intensified community outreach programmes to encourage early screening and treatment. “Just as was the case with HIV/Aids in the past, fear initially discouraged people from testing.

Today that has changed. We must similarly address fear and misconceptions surrounding cancer so that people seek treatment early,” he said.

Meanwhile, the chairperson of the ORCI Board of Trustees, Prof Ephata Kaaya, said the institute had strengthened its diagnostic capacity through the acquisition of modern medical equipment that is already in use. “In the past, the institute could only attend to a limited number of patients per day.

Currently, it can serve between five and six patients daily, with a target of exceeding 20 patients per day by June this year,” he said. .

Marrakech. Winger Amad Diallo scored one goal and created another to continue his excellent form in Morocco as defending champions Ivory Coast eased past Burkina Faso 3-0 in their Africa Cup of Nations round-of-16 fixture in Marrakech on Tuesday.

The Ivorians will face record seven-time winners Egypt in a heavyweight quarter-final in Agadir on Saturday, a colossal clash that is a repeat of the 2006 decider where the North African side triumphed on penalties after a 0-0 draw. Yan Diomande and Bazoumana Toure were also on target for coach Emerse Fae’s team as they dominated the contest against the out-gunned Burkinabe and might have won by a greater margin but for some excellent goalkeeping from Herve Koffi.

Diallo, 23, will go back to a new manager at Manchester United after the finals in Morocco having been one of the stand-out players at the tournament so far with three goals and an assist, driving the Ivorians’ impressive title defence. “There’s this understanding on the field, this closeness between us, which makes our game easier,” Diallo said.

“There is a real connection, a kind of little twist in the way we play. No one is trying to be the hero or shine individually.

” Compared to how they stuttered to the title on home soil two years ago, the Ivorians have been hugely impressive in Morocco and this was arguably their most dominant display of the competition to date. They took the lead in the 20th minute thanks to a superb solo effort from Diallo, who danced his way past three defenders before a fortunate deflection allowed him to lift the ball over the goalkeeper and into the roof of the net.

Diallo turns provider It was 2-0 on 32 minutes and no more than the Ivorians deserved for their positive attacking play. This time Diallo was the creator as his trickery on the right wing ended with a low cross that was cleverly left by Franck Kessie and the ball reached Diomande, who side-footed into the net from 18 yards.

The Burkinabe were inches away from pulling a goal back as Dango Ouattara’s shot from a tight angle hit the post, but it proved a rare bright moment. But no, the girl gets up.

And you see, I want to be more, but I have somebody watching. The Ivorians kept pushing forward and would end with 21 shots at goal, with one of those leading to their third score on 87 minutes.

Toure broke free on the left-hand side of the box and with Koffi perhaps expecting a cross, the teenage winger instead netted at the near post for his second of the campaign. .