Debutants Guinea-Bissau shock hosts in Afcon opener
Late Soares equaliser puts pressure on Gabon in next match
JUARY Soares grabbed a dramatic late equaliser for debutants Guinea-Bissau as they recovered from a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang strike to hold hosts Gabon to a 1-1 draw in the Africa Cup of Nations opening game. IN an era when dictator Idi Amin would interrupt football training to offer advice and bundles of cash, Uganda made it all the way to the 1978 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) final.
However, in the nearly 40 years that followed that surprise success, The Cranes never again soared to such heights.
The current squad, the first to qualify for the tournament since, is hoping to change that in Gabon where the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations takes place from January 14 to February 5.
The players, like most of their supporters, are too young to remember the glory days of Uganda’s last appearance.
“Times were different then. There was full government support for sports. We got everything we wanted,” said Jimmy Kirunda, who captained the 1978 team during Amin’s reign.
The towering dictator ruled from 1971 until 1979 and, when he was not committing widespread abuses, issuing eccentric dictates or sending bizarre missives to world leaders, was an eager sportsman and fan who opened the government purse to the country’s stars.
“He often came to us during training sessions to moraleboost us, especially before games against outside teams from Tanzania or Zambia, countries he considered his enemies,” said then defender Tom Lwanga.
Gabon appeared to be heading for victory in yesterday’s Group A curtain-raiser after Borussia Dortmund striker Aubameyang turned the ball in from close range seven minutes into the second half at the Stade de l’Amitie in the capital Libreville.
However, Soares headed home in the 90th minute to earn GuineaBissau a memorable point in their first-ever match at the continental finals.
There were boos at the final whistle from the home fans at the 40 000-seat stadium, where a close to capacity crowd included Gabonese president Ali Bongo and Issa Hayatou, the veteran head of the Confederation of African Football. It was a lack lustre performance from Gabon, who will now look to bounce back from this disappointment when they play Burkina Faso in their next game on Wednesday, when Guinea-Bissau, known as the ‘wild dogs’, take on Cameroon. The tournament debutants, whose lineup mainly consisted of players based at modest clubs in Portugal, were expected to struggle against a Gabon side spearheaded by Aubameyang and also featuring the likes of Sunderland’s Didier Ndong and Mario Lemina of Juventus. The hosts created next to nothing in the first half, though, with the exception of a Lemina header that flashed just wide close to the interval. They were much more lively at the beginning of the second half and FIRST BLOOD: Gabon forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, left, opens the scoring against Guinea-Bissau at the Stade de l'Amitie SinoGabonaise in Libreville yesterday talented winger Denis Bouanga cut in from the left four minutes after the restart before sending in a shot with his right foot that was tipped over by goalkeeper Jonas Mendes. The opener arrived shortly after. The Guinea-Bissau defence failed to clear their lines and Bouanga’s low ball to the back post was converted by Aubameyang, to the delight of the home fans. However, Gabon began to sit back and Guinea-Bissau had opportunities to equalise towards the end, with Rudinilson Silva hooking a shot just past and substitute Frederic Mendy heading straight at Didier Ovono when unmarked. They looked to have blown their chance, but they drew level in the final minute, Soares getting in front of Bruno Ecuele Manga to head home Zezinho’s free kick.
Meanwhile, Cameroon and Burkina Faso played to a 1-all draw in the second match of the Afcon last night. — AFP
The hosts created next to nothing in the first half