U17 AFCON: Tapsoba Trailblazes in stunning victory over junior Lions

Burkina Faso defeated Cameroon 2-1 in the first game of Group B in Morocco on Monday, giving their TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations campaign a strong start.

With a spectacular brace, Asharaf Tapsoba maintained his excellent form and made sure the former champions started their title challenge on a high note.

Tabsoba, who scored two goals in the final match against Cote d’Ivoire and played a crucial role in Burkina Faso’s qualification for the WAFU B qualifications, has carried his impressive run of play into the Moroccan finals.

With a goal in the 19th minute, the deadly forward quickly put the previous champions, who last won the crown in 2011, on the scoresheet and calmed their anxieties.

In the 41st minute, Tapsoba completed his brace to put his team ahead by two goals before halftime, putting him back on the scoreboard in the closing moments of the first stanza.

After the break, Cameroon gave it their all in an attempt to score, but a fierce Burkinabe defence held them back.

David Nyangono pulled one back in the 75th minute to set up an entertaining finish to the match as the Cameroonians’ pressure finally paid off.

Cameroon put a lot of players forward with the equaliser within reach, but the former champions’ disciplined defence allowed them to earn the crucial three points before their next matchup against Egypt on Thursday.

As they get ready for their upcoming match against South Africa on Thursday night, Cameroon will need to move past their disappointment.