Burkina Faso's male volleyball team yesterday in Abuja beat their Sierra Leonean counterparts in a stormy five-set thriller at the on-going First Under-23 ECOWAS Games.

In the Group A match played at the indoor Sports Hall of the Abuja National Stadium, the Burkinabes won by three games to two, to lead the group after Ghana's withdrawal.

The winners looked like running away with an easy win after winning the first two sets at 25-10 and 25-12, but they allowed their opponents back into the game by losing the third set at 24-26.

Sierra Leone roared the game back into life by winning the fourth set 25-21 to set the stage for a thrilling fifth set, but the Burkinabes surged back to win 15-6 to clinch the game.

Both teams have however qualified for the semi-finals of the male volleyball event at the competition.

Both Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone qualified after Ghana, the third team in the group, withdrew.

Sorie Kamara, coach of the Sierra Leonean team, in his reaction, attributed his team's defeat in the match to the quality of the ball used in the game.

"My players were not comfortable with the ball, and that was why they lost the first two sets of the match and that is why we came back strongly in the third and fourth sets," he said.

Kamara however promised that his team would come back in the semi-finals to win their game and qualify for the final," he said.

Burkina Faso's coach Dipama Alfred, on his part, praised his team's performance, saying his boys played to instructions.

"It is clear that our boys are good, and were good in the match and we are now going for the title, "he said.

In the semi-finals scheduled for Friday, Sept. 10, Burkina Faso will in the first game meet the runners-up in Group B which has Nigeria, Niger Republic and Benin Republic.

Sierra Leone will on their part meet the Group B winners in the second semi-final game.

The final and third-place matches in the volleyball event of the inaugural Under-23 ECOWAS Games will take place on Saturday, Sept. 11.