Andre Onana, the Indomitable Lions' goalkeeper, produced two key second-half stops as Toni Conceicao's team won the game.
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Cameroon came from behind to defeat Burkina Faso 2-1 in the Africa Cup of Nations’ opening match. Gustavo Sangare’s spectacular goal put the Burkinabe ahead midway through the first half at Yaounde. Before halftime, though, captain Vincent Aboubakar’s two unerring penalties turned the game around for the hosts. Andre Onana, the Indomitable Lions’ goalkeeper, produced two key second-half stops as Toni Conceicao’s team won their first game in Group A.
The coronavirus pandemic forced the Nations Cup to be postponed for a year, but the first game in the Olembe Stadium, which followed a colourful opening ceremony, was an exciting match. Steeve Yago of Burkina Faso was fortunate to only receive a yellow card for a first-minute slide tackle on Collins Fai, which was the first of numerous aggressive tackles that lost the Stallions the game. After Bertrand Traore’s header from a corner was cleared off the line by Nouhou Tolo and Sangare touched the crossbar with a cross, Burkina Faso seized the lead after their first prolonged period of pressure.
Sangare showed superb technique to shoot a first-time volley inside the left-hand upright after Traore scooped up the loose ball on the right wing and crossed to the back post for him.
Cameroon remained unfazed, but Traore’s clumsy tackle on Andre-Frank Zmbo Anguissa gave them a chance to equalise five minutes before the break. After a video assistant referee review, the penalty was granted, and Aboubakar sent goalkeeper Herve Koffi the wrong way from the spot, stroking the ball into the right-hand side of the net. In first-half injury time, Issoufou Dayo slid in on Tolo after the Cameroon defender had played the ball, giving the hosts a penalty.
Aboubakar, who scored the game-winning goal when Cameroon last won the Nations Cup in 2017, made no mistakes with his penalty kick this time. Following the restart, Onana saved Traore’s long-range free-kick and then stopped Cyrille Bayala from close range. As the Indomitable Lions attempted to put the game to bed, Aboubakar was denied a hat-trick by a close VAR offside call, while Zambo Anguissa blasted well wide. The hosts, who are attempting to win the continental title for the sixth time, will play Ethiopia on Tuesday.
