Host nation Cameroon of to a bright start at the AFCON2021
Cape Verde beat 10-man Ethiopia in Yaounde
Burkina Faso’s Gustavo Sangare scores AFCON 2021 first goal
The 33rd African Cup of Nations eventually started in Cameroon on January 9, 2022, after the kick-off date was rescheduled twice.
The AFCON was initially scheduled to take place in 2021 summer, but due to unfavourable climate conditions, it was rescheduled to the first quarter of the year. The biennial tournament was then postponed to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Finally, the long wait for the commencement for the international showpiece came to an end on Sunday, January 9, 2021.
The first game was a great spectacle as hundreds of supporters trooped into the start in their numbers an hour before the event. The ceremony was colourful as the national colours of all the 24 participating countries were on display.
It created a beautiful night scene with firecrackers. The most astonishing part was when the virtual Lion representing Cameroon’s nickname ‘Indomitable Lions’ was displayed.
The first game kicked off at 16:00 GMT as host Cameroon fought from a goal down to win the opening match by 2-0. Gustavo Sangare scored the tournament’s first goal when he beautifully connected Adama Traore’ cross.
The Indomitable Lions drew level on the 40th minute from the spot after VAR reviewed a penalty incident in which skipper Vincent Abubakar made no mistake. The hosts were awarded a second penalty after Nouhou Tolo was brought down in the box on the stroke of halftime.
In the second half, Aboubakar scored from a rebound to grab what would have been the first triple of the competition, but VAR ruled the goal out for offside. Cameroon held to earn all maximum points.
The second game saw Ethiopia take on Cape Verd. It was a tight game that was decided in the first half with a Julio Tavares header to hand the Islanders a vital victory to boost their chances of making the next round. Along with the defeat, Ethiopia suffered the first red card of the tourney as defender Yared Bayeh Belay was sent off for a late tackle on Tavares.
Balay was initially shown a yellow card, but he was later given his marching order after a VAR review showed he was the last man in the Ethiopia backline.
The build-up to the opening fixtures and the fixtures themselves exhibited how football unites the continent. It gave a clear representation of the intense nature of African soccer.
The competition enters day two with four intriguing fixtures lined up in Group B and C. In Group B, Senegal will face Zimbabwe while Guinea lock horns with Malawi in the second group fixture.
Whereas in Group C, the Atlas Lions of Morocco, one-time champions, go head-to-head with the Black Stars of Ghana, four times competition winners in a late afternoon kick as Comoros and Gabon wrap up the day in a late fixture.