CAN 2021: Cameroon carries the day in their opening match against Burkina Faso. Thanks to a double penalty from Vincent Aboubakar, Cameroon overthrew Burkina Faso (2-1) and won the opening match of its CAN this Sunday at the Olembé Stadium on Jan 19th 2022.

This of course was a good result for the thousands of Cameroonian fans who were watching at the stadium and the millions who were watching at home as well.

That said, there is always a call for a better game and sure some critics will come from football analysts and fans. The Cameroonian Team captain Vincent Aboubakar is not convinced by the performance of his teammates and himself as well and this calls for a much better strategy for the upcoming matches.

Successful departure for Cameroon! In front of 48,000 supporters committed to its cause in a brand new Olembé stadium, the host country won the opening match of CAN 2021 this Sunday against Burkina Faso (2-1).

This CAN began with a very bad gesture from Yago who was not unhappy to escape the expulsion after only a few seconds for a tackle with the very high foot, at the level of the hip of Faï… Dominators, the Indomitable Lions seemed, however, suffering from the pressure, which resulted in several technical approximations, such as the failed shot from Aboubakar and that off-target from Toko-Ekambi while Koffi had gone on an adventure.

Even lessened by several positive tests for doubtful Covid-19 including that of the coach Kamou Malo and the defensive captain Edmond Tapsoba, the Stallions took the opportunity to embolden against and Onana went out in disaster in front of Bayala. Everything then turned on a triple opportunity for the visitors with a header from Dayo pushed back to his line by Tolo, across from Sangaré who passed just in front of the goal then across from Bertrand Traoré on which Onana missed his exit and allowed Sangaré to open the score of a recovery in the second column (0-1, 24 ^e ). A goal that obviously plagued the atmosphere …

Aboubakar’s two penalties

Without really rebelling, Toni Conceição’s men then took advantage of two Burkina Faso mistakes to turn everything upside down! After recourse to the VAR, the Algerian referee Mustapha Ghorbal indeed sanctioned an indisputable fault of Bertrand Traoré in the surface on André-Franck Zambo Anguissa.

The inevitable Vincent Aboubakar was in charge of transforming the penalty (1-1, 40th). In the process, Issoufou Dayo mowed down Nouhou Tolo in the box and caused a new penalty which allowed Aboubakar to offer himself a double just before the break (45th + 3).

Onana recovers

Stunning, the Cameroonians did not spare themselves a few fears when they returned from the locker room but Onana made up for it by boxing a dangerous free-kick from Bertrand Traoré and above all by making a superb reflex stop at close range against Bayala after the first rescue of Onguéné.

After a new goal from Aboubakar refused for a very slight offside, the locals had several match points but Fai then Zambo Anguissa saw their counter shots flee the frame. Greedy, Aboubakar missed the frame in a good position.

Burkina Faso could have taken the opportunity to equalize in added time but Konaté stumbled over Onana. The first obstacle successfully overcome by the host country, meet Thursday against Ethiopia to try to validate the qualification in the round of 16.