Hosts Cameroon open with win over Burkina Faso
Total Energies Africa Cup of Nations hosts Cameroon opened the tournament with a come-frombehind 2-1 win over Group A rivals Burkina Faso at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde yesterday evening.
Sangare scored in the 24th minute to give Burkina Faso the lead in the game but in the 40th minute, Cameroon striker Vincent Aboubakar equalised by converting a spot-kick into a goal.
Initially missed by
referee
Mustapha Ghorbal, VAR intervened and called for the official to watch the replay – he then awarded a spot kick to the hosts which Aboubakar coolly converted.
Aboubakar converted another penalty into a goal in the extra minute of the first half as the Lions tamed the Stallions to the delight of fans.
Burkina Faso looked for an equaliser early in the second half and were close to levelling the game 10 minutes after the restart, but Onana was alive to his duties in goal as he kept Cameroon in the lead.
The hosts made the first changes with just over 20 minutes to play, sending in Clinton Njie and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, while the Burkinabe responded with the introduction of Mohamed Konate and Zakaria Sanogo shortly thereafter.
This is Cameroon and Burkina Faso’s third encounter in the Africa Cup of Nations. Both previous meetings came in the group phase: Cameroon won 1-0 in 1998 and a 1-1 draw in 2017.
Cameroon made their 20th appearance in the Africa Cup of Nations, a tally only bettered by Egypt (25), Cote d’Ivoire (24) and Ghana (23). Egypt (7) are the only team to have won the tournament on more occasions than the Indomitable Lions (5).
Cameroon are hosting the Africa Cup of Nations for the second time, 50 years after it was first held in the country - in 1972 – when they finished third while Burkina Faso is participating for the 12th time in the tournament.
Super Eagles vice-captain, William Troost-Ekong has said he does not wish to see Liverpool and Egypt forward, Mohamed Salah, close to his side’s defence line when they meet on Tuesday in Garoua.
The 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon began yesterday until the 6th of February.
Nigeria were placed in a tough Group D alongside GuineaBissau, Sudan and seven-time African champions Egypt.
The first match will be on 11 January against the Pharaohs, who will be led by Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah.
Salah has been in great form this season with the Reds, having already scored 23 goals in 26 games across all competitions, and even made the final threeman list for FIFA’s The Best Award.
Despite the difficulty of the task ahead, Super Eagles centre back Troost-Ekong believes they can contain the two-time Premier League Golden Boot winner.
“I hope he stays as far away from us and our goal as possible,” the Watford defender told BBC’s Football Focus.
“This season he’s obviously been on fire and we all know how good he is, but at the same time I’m very confident in our team,” he added.
Meanwhile, the media officer, Babafemi Raji, believes his side will finish above Egypt.
Raji is fully aware of the threat that Salah poses, however, he says they mustn’t focus just on beating the winger but on the team as a whole.
“We very much respect the Egyptian team and know the capabilities of Mohamed Salah. Our team has great potential and we know how to stop the strengths of the Pharaohs.
“We are here to play against the entire Egyptian national team, not just against Mohamed Salah.
“It is certain that Nigeria is the first candidate to qualify from its group, and we do not care who will qualify with us, and we respect everyone,” he added.