Mueez Ajao
– Captain Vincent Aboubakar converted two penalties as hosts Cameroon came from behind to beat Burkina Faso 2-1 in the opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Yaounde on Sunday.
– Burkina Faso, who were without their coach Kamou Malo and six players who tested positive for COVID-19, gave away two clumsy penalties after Gustavo Sangare had silenced the home crowd, estimated at around 45,000 fans at the newly-built Olembe Stadium, with the first goal of the game.
– The Burkina Faso Football Federation issued a formal letter to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) ahead of the match in a protest over alleged issues with its COVID-19 testing program. Captain Bertrand Traore told ESPN he believes the situation is a “scandal.”
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– On Sunday, Sangare finished with his left foot at the back post in the 24th minute to hand the Burkinabe a surprise lead in the Group A encounter but then Traore and defender Issoufou Dayo gave away penalties in quick succession.
– Aboubakar, who was part of Cameroon’s winning team at the 2017 Cup of Nations in neighbouring Gabon, tucked away both kicks with aplomb.
– Traore lunged clumsily to catch Andre Zambo Anguissa in the 37th minute but it was only given as a penalty after the Algerian referee Mustapha Ghorbal had checked with VAR.
– The referee, however, had no hesitation about awarding the second as Dayo’s scything tackle took out the feet of Nouhou Tolo as the first half went into stoppage time.
– Burkina Faso’s goal came after a rare error from Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana, who recently returned from a nine-month drug ban, as he came out and missed Traore’s cross, allowing Sangare to finish expertly at the back post.
– Onana did make up for it with a point-blank stop from Sangare early in the second half before Aboubakar went speeding down the other end on a Cameroon breakaway, but strayed marginally offside before the ball deflected off him, and into the net, for a possible hat-trick.
– It took two minutes for the VAR to confirm the linesman’s decision.
– Aboubakar, who was proving dangerous on the right, had another great opportunity for his hat-trick with 14 minutes left but blazed wildly wide from an angle.
– The opening game was preceded by a colourful opening ceremony, against the background of frenzied preparations to get the 24-team tournament ready in time.
– The CAF had last month considered cancelling the tournament and multiple COVID-19 cases continued to cast a shadow over events.
