Cameroon rally to win Africa Cup of Nations opener | Soccer Information
Captain Vincent Aboubakar scores a brace of penalties because the hosts come from behind to beat Burkina Faso 2-1.
Hosts Cameroon have made a successful begin to their Africa Cup of Nations marketing campaign, beating Burkina Faso 2-1.
Cameroon got here from behind with two penalties within the area of eight minutes on the finish of the primary half to beat Burkina Faso on Sunday within the opening recreation.
Captain Vincent Aboubakar scored each penalties, calmly slotting the primary to the correct aspect of the aim and the second to the left to finish a comeback that left dwelling followers sighing with aid.
Cameroon had waited out a three-year delay to host this Africa Cup after being stripped of the 2019 event after which seeing their 2021 internet hosting delayed a yr due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Burkina Faso have been the primary to attain on the Olembe Stadium Yaounde with Gustavo Sangare netting within the twenty fourth minute.
ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS ☝️ 📖
🇨🇲 Vincent Aboubakar is the primary participant to attain a brace in a #TotalEnergiesAFCON opener since 🇦🇴 Flávio Amado and 🇲🇱 Seydou Keïta in 2010! 🔝#TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 | #AFCON2021 | #TeamCameroon pic.twitter.com/AL0StXoTNO
— #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 🏆 (@CAF_Online) January 9, 2022
He scored after Burkina Faso had a header cleared off the road and hit the crossbar in the identical transfer.
However Burkina Faso misplaced the lead with two items of defending on the finish of the primary half.
Bertrand Traore barged into Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa to present Cameroon their first penalty, which was solely confirmed after referee Mustapha Ghorbal of Algeria consulted VAR.
VAR is being utilized in all video games on the Africa Cup for the primary time. It was used from the quarter-finals onwards on the final Africa Cup.
Quickly after, Issoufou Dayo mistimed a sliding deal with to foul Nouhou Tolo and Aboubakar scored from the spot once more three minutes into first-half harm time.
Burkina Faso threatened a second-half comeback as Traore examined Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana with a free-kick from vary and Adama Guira then had an try saved by Onana, however the dwelling aspect held on.
The Africa Cup formally began with a brief opening ceremony a couple of hours earlier at Olembe Stadium.
Artists carry out a conventional dance throughout the opening ceremony of the African Cup of Nations [Themba Hadebe/AP Photo]Coronavirus restrictions restricted the gang on the Olembe Stadium to 80 % of its 60,000-capacity, however that didn’t spoil the occasion for the hosts and celebratory fireworks lit up the sky after the match.
The match and opening ceremony have been attended by Cameroon’s 88-year-old President Paul Biya, who has dominated the Central African nation for 40 years, in addition to FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Confederation of African Soccer head Patrice Motsepe.
The Cape Verde Islands and Ethiopia are attributable to play within the second Group A recreation in a while Sunday on the Olembe Stadium.
