Captain Vincent Aboubakar transformed two spot kicks as hosts Cameroon got here from behind to beat Burkina Faso 2-1 within the opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Yaounde on Sunday.
Burkina Faso, who have been with out their coach Kamou Malo and 6 gamers who examined constructive for Covid-19, gave away two clumsy penalties after Gustavo Sangare had silenced the house crowd, estimated at round 45,000 followers on the newly-built Olembe Stadium, with the primary purpose of the sport.
Sangare completed together with his left foot on the again put up within the twenty fourth minute handy the Burkinabe a shock lead within the Group A encounter however then their captain Bertrand Traore and defender Issoufou Dayo gave away penalties in fast succession.
Aboubakar, who was a part of Cameroon’s successful group on the 2017 Cup of Nations in neighbouring Gabon, tucked away each kicks with aplomb.
Traore lunged clumsily to catch Andre Zambo Anguissa within the thirty seventh minute but it surely was solely given as a penalty after the Algerian referee Mustapha Ghorbal had checked with VAR.
The referee, nonetheless, had no hesitation about awarding the second as Dayo’s scything deal with took out the toes of Nouhou Tolo as the primary half went into stoppage time.
Burkina Faso’s purpose got here after a uncommon error from Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana, who lately returned from a nine-month drug ban, as he got here out and missed Traore’s cross, permitting Sangare to complete expertly on the again put up.
Aboubakar grabs the ball after coverting his first penalty
(AFP through Getty Photographs)
Onana did make up for it with a point-blank cease from Sangare early within the second half earlier than Aboubakar went rushing down the opposite finish on a Cameroon breakaway, however strayed marginally offside earlier than the ball deflected off him, and into the web, for a doable hat-trick.
It took two minutes for the VAR to verify the linesman’s determination.
Aboubakar, who was proving harmful on the proper, had one other nice alternative for his hat-trick with 14 minutes left however blazed wildly extensive from an angle.
The opening recreation was preceded by a vibrant opening ceremony, in opposition to the background of frenzied preparations to get the 24-team event prepared in time.
The Confederation of African Soccer had final month thought of cancelling the event and a number of Covid-19 instances continued to solid a shadow over occasions.
The Cape Verde Islands and Ethiopia are on account of play within the second Group A recreation in a while Sunday on the Olembe Stadium.
Reuters
Kaynak: briturkish.com
