Burkina Faso authored the most dramatic story of the week in Casablanca. Reduced tension turned to disbelief as the Stallions scored twice deep into stoppage time to defeat Equatorial Guinea 2 to 1. It was a win built on belief, nerve and refusal to accept defeat.
The match swung after Basilo Ndung saw red early in the second half, leaving Equatorial Guinea with ten men. Burkina Faso pushed and thought they had scored through Lassina Traore, only for VAR to rule it out. Frustration grew as the clock ticked down.
Against the flow, Equatorial Guinea struck first in the 85th minute. Substitute Marvin Aniebo headed home from a corner and silence swept the Mohammed V Stadium. It felt decisive.
Burkina Faso responded with pure resolve. Gyorgy Menongo equalised in added time, before Edmond Tapsoba powered in the winner moments later. “We did not give up,” Tapsoba said. “It is in our nature not to stop or lose belief.”
Coach Brama Traore praised his team’s mentality. “After 60 minutes it was not possible to achieve that, so we worked hard to equalise,” he said. For Equatorial Guinea, Juan Micha admitted focus slipped. “In less than five minutes we lost the match,” he said.
In Rabat, Algeria sent a clear warning. The 2019 champions swept aside Sudan 3 to 0 with calm authority. Riyad Mahrez led from the front with two goals and constant control.
Mahrez struck after two minutes and again just after the hour. Sudan’s task became harder when Salah El Din Adel was sent off before the break. Algeria never lost grip.
“Being named Man of the Match is a bonus,” Mahrez said. “The most important thing was the victory.” Sudan coach Kwesi Appiah was blunt. “This Algerian team has serious quality,” he said.
Cote d’Ivoire opened their title defence with patience rather than power. A 1 to 0 win over Mozambique came through Amad Diallo early in the second half. It was controlled and mature.
“I have been waiting for this moment for a long time,” Diallo said. Coach Emerse Fae pointed to details. “Decision making and finishing still need work,” he said.
In Agadir, Cameroon made history. Karl Etta Eyong’s early goal earned a first ever AFCON win over Gabon. Discipline and game control carried them through.
“We stayed focused and very solid,” said Bryan Mbeumo. Cameroon now sit level with Cote d’Ivoire. The early message is clear. Experience still matters at AFCON.
