AFCON 2021: Aboubakar At Brace As Lions Trip Stallions To Third Place

The Stallions of Burkina Faso threw away a three goal lead as tournament MVP – contender, Vincent Aboubakar, jumped off the bench to a brace, after Bahoken had started the resurgence.

At the start, there was a contrast in style between the two teams.

Burkina Faso looked the most direct team in the match, while Cameroon won the ball higher up the pitch more than the stallions and put together more long-passing sequences more than their counterparts did.

Cameroon continued pressing in the earlier minutes without any real end product.

The first sight at goal came at the 8th minute. A cross to the back post found Tapsoba but he could only direct his header wide. It was a decent play from Burkina Faso all though.

Cameroon’s first real chance meant a brilliant double save from Ouedraogo. First he palmed out a cross and then reacted quickly to save a follow up shot from Junior Onana. The second shot was straight at him but it went down as a good save.

The ball hit him flush in the face, and he went out for treatment.

It was bad news for the hosts as Burkina Faso took the lead.

It was a beautifully crafted goal from one full-back to another as a good cross from the right found its way to the back post and Yago made a late run to fire into the roof of the net.

Just before the second Burkinabe goal (45), the Oyongo delivered a brilliant cross from the right and Kabore was forced into a brilliant defensive header at the back post to clear.

Kabore later set up another the goal and had an utterly brilliant game.

It turned a nightmare for Cameroon goalkeeper Onana!

Kabore got to the byline on the right, dug out a cross and Onana made a complete mess of it and spilled it into his own net.

VAR checked to see if the ball had gone out but replays showed it was clearly still in and the goal stands.

After the pose, Burkina Faso had their third. It took a fine passage of play from Traore whose cross was finished by Ouattara.

71 minutes in, Bahoken pulled one back to give the hosts some hope.

Burkina Faso goalkeeper Ouedraogo got underneath a corner and Aboubakar headed home to pull another goal back (3-2).

It was then incredible.

Cameroon pulled it back to 3-3 and it was no other than Aboubakar.

The Lions went on to win 5-3 on penalties, and claim third place for only their second time after.