Burundi gave their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification hopes a shot in the arm with a 3-2 victory over Namibia at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Tuesday afternoon.
Etienne Ndayiragije's side raced into a three-goal lead inside the opening 20 minutes, with Abedi Bigirimana breaking the deadlock shortly after kick-off before Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana and Hussein Shabani put them firmly in the driver's seat.
Peter Shalulile hit back for the Brave Warriors just before halftime and Wendell Rudath further reduced the deficit late on, but the Swallows held on to move level with Cameroon on four points ahead of their crunch encounter in September.
The Southern Africans were looking to secure top spot in Group C after beating the Indomitable Lions last time out to take pole position with one match left to play.
However, Burundi got off to a dream start when Bigirimana slotted home on the rebound after Bimenyimana had struck the right post from close range inside the opening minute of the game.
The visitors looked for a swift response as Joslin Kamatuka forced Onesime Rukundo into a save at his near post with a shot from inside the box on the right after four minutes.
But matters got worse just five minutes later when Bimenyimana tucked his shot past Edward Maova from inside the 18-yard area after Shabani headed the ball into his path.
TENSE FINISH
Shabani then threatened with a header that went narrowly wide of the right post from a 17th-minute corner, although he was celebrating moments later after beating Maova with a strike from range to put the hosts in command.
The Brave Warriors would go on to shade the possession in the first half and they managed to pull one back four minutes before halftime as Shalulile finished clinically from inside the box.
Bigirimana was a whisker away from getting his name on the scoresheet again shortly afterwards as he got on the end of Shabani's cross, only to see his header came back off the right post.
Bigirimana and Bimenyimana both just missed the target with their respective efforts early in the second half, while Bethuel Muzeu drew a fine save out of Rukundo after trying his luck from distance on 56 minutes.
The Swallows quickly went up the other end of the pitch and Bigirimana tested Maova with a header from close range, with the goalkeeper also having to be alert to deny Shabani from inside the area on 71 minutes.
Namibia never gave up though, and they were rewarded for their efforts on 85 minutes when Rudath lashed a shot into the top right corner of the net from range to set up a tense finish to proceedings.
Burundi (3) 3 (Bigirimana 1', Bimenyimana 9', Shabani 19')
Namibia (1) 2 (Shalulile 41', Rudath 85')
Burundi: O. Rukundo, J. Nshimirimana, F. Nsabiyumva, C. Nduwarugira, B. Kanakimana (A. Musore 46'), M. Madjaliwa, A. Bigirimana, E. Mvuyekure (R. Bazombwa 46'), J. Liongola (I. Nshimirimana 78'), B. Bimenyimana (S. Nahimana 62'), H. Shabani (P. Niyongabire 74').
Namibia: E. Maova, R. Nyambe (E. Kambindu 67'), D. Haoseb (J. Petrus 29'), A. Gebhardt, R. Hanamub (K. Amutenya 30'), D. Fredericks, N. Katua (M. Papama 76'), J. Kamatuka (W. Rudath 67'), B. Muzeu, A. Iimbondi, P. Shalulile.