CAMEROON SKIPPER’S DOUBLE DELIGHT
TWO first-half penalties from skipper Vincent Aboubakar got hosts Cameroon off to the perfect start in the opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations. But they had to come from behind after an acrobatic volley from Gustavo Sangare (right) had given Burkino Faso a shock lead in Yaounde in the 24th minute. Burkino Faso then gave away two clumsy spot-kicks just before the interval, with Al Nassr striker Aboubakar converting both. Cameroon still had to rely on some superb saves from goalkeeper Andre Onana in the second period to make sure that Toni Conceicao’s side opened their Group A campaign with a crucial victory. In the day’s other match, Cape Verde, who were hit by a number of Covid cases, beat ten-man Ethiopia 1-0 in the Olembe Stadium, with Al-Faisaly striker Julio Tavares scoring a powerful header in first-half stoppage time. There are four more games today: Senegal v Zimbabwe, Guinea v Malawi, Morocco v Ghana and Comoros v Gabon.