LIMBE, Cameroon
The Stallions of Burkina Faso beat Gabon 7-6 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in regulation time to qualify to the quarter finals of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Cameroon 2021.
Substitute
Ismahila scored the all-important winning penalty to send the Stallions through
following a marathon shoot out.
Kanga,
Yannis Yapende and Lloyd Palun missed for Gabon while Saidou Simpore and Abdoul
Tapsoba failed to score for Burkina Faso.
The
last 16 match had everything in it, a missed penalty, two disallowed goals and
a sending off.
The
Burkinabes started brightly against Panthers winning a penalty inside 13
minutes in the first knockout match of the tournament.
Forward
Issa Kabore won the spot kick following a late challenge from Gabon's Sidney
Obissa. Bertrand Traore fired the resulting penalty against the woodwork with
keeper beaten.
Patrice
Neveu's side came close to breaking the deadlock midway through the first when
Boupendza's first time volley inside the Burkinabe box came off Ibrahim Toure.
Traore
scored the opener just before the half hour mark to put Burkina Faso ahead with
a fine finish from Aboubacar Ouattara's through ball.
Gabon
continued to push searching for the equaliser but Kouakou Koffi denied them.
The Royal Charleroi keeper pulled a smart low save to deny Boupendza.
Boupendza found the back of net for Gabon but he was flagged offside before Kouakou Koffi denied Lloyd Palun from distance to give Burkina Faso the advantage at the break.
Gabon's
diminutive midfielder Kanga was instrumental in the Panthers attack as they
push forward. The Serbia based star smartly placed in Boupendza from a free
kick with the forward firing straight into the Burkinabe defense.
Gabon
were reduced to 10 men after the dismissal of defender Sidney Obissa for a
second booking on 65 minutes.
With
the numerical advantage Burkina Faso controlled the match creating numerous
chances but they failed to take them.
Adama
Guira scored an own on the stroke of full time to level the score for Gabon.
Captain Bruno Ecuele Manga rose high to head a corner which was turned in by
Adama to send the match to extra time.
The
10 men of Gabon battled to take the match into penalties with goalkeeper Jean
Noel Amonome producing some brilliant saves to keep out the Stallions.
Amonome
stopped Abdoul Tapsoba's goal bound effort 10 into extra time before pulling
brilliant save to keep out Ouattara's volley.
Burkina
Faso will play Tunisia in the quarter finals of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of
Nations Cameroon 2021.
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