Cameroon clinch third place after shootout success

Cameroon secured third place at the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil after they beat Burkina Faso 5-3 on penalties following a dramatic 3-3 draw at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium on Saturday night.Toni Conceicao's side battled back from three goals down to clinch an unlikely victory in the end. The Stallions were two goals up at the interval thanks to Steeve Yago's 24th-minute opener and an own-goal from Andre Onana.Djibril Ouattara added a third four minutes into the second to seemingly put the result beyond doubt. However, Stephane Bahoken reduced the deficit on 72 minutes before two howlers from Farid Ouedraogo was capitalised on by Vincent Aboubakar to level matters.After a cagey opening in Yaounde, Burkina Faso got their passing game going and looked comfortable on the ball.Kabore was finding some joy down the right flank and he delivered a pin-point cross for Abdoul Tapsoba at the back post on nine minutes, but the Standard Liege forward couldn't direct his header on target.Tapsoba then tried his luck from distance two minutes later after cutting inside from the left flank, although his scuffed effort was easily saved by Onana.The Indomitable Lions had a half chance in the 16th minute when Ambroise Oyongo delivered a free-kick from the left which cleared the first line and struck Harold Moukoudi on the body before trickling through to the keeper.However, the partisan home crowd were stunned into silence moments later when the Stallions broke the deadlock. Kabore sent a cross over to the back post for an unmarked Yago to steer into the roof of the net for a fine finish.TWO GOALS IN TWO MINUTESCameroon ramped up the pressure in the closing stages of the first half as they looked to get back into the contest, but would find themselves 2-0 down just before the break.Kabore showed good pace and determination to beat his man on the right before crossing to the near post from the byline and Onana somehow turned the ball into the back of his net after it squirmed out of his grasp.It was 3-0 just four minutes after the restart as Ouattara guided a header inside the near post from Bertrand Traore's inviting cross into the box from the right.Cameroon looked to respond and Gustavo Sangare fizzed an effort over the crossbar from 20 yards out before Jerome Onguene drilled a shot just wide of the right post, while Aboubakar directed a header high over the target from a corner on the left.The host nation were piling on the pressure now as Moukoudi headed a free-kick well over the goal on 64 minutes and Onana saw his long-range strike deflected just over the bar off Edmond Tapsoba seven minutes later.Their efforts paid off from the resulting corner when Bahoken finished on the volley after Karl Toko Ekambi's initial shot was saved by Ouedraogo.Burkina Faso's goal was coming under siege as Ouedraogo had to tip Toko Ekambi's swerving strike over the bar in the 74th minute and he pulled off a fine reaction save to deny Bahoken 10 minutes later.However, there was pandemonium in the stands when the Indomitable Lions scored twice in the space of two minutes late on to restore parity and force a penalty shootout.

Cameroon clinch third place after shootout success

Kommentaar

Republikein 2026-02-06

Meld asseblief aan om kommentaar te lewer

Cameroon clinch third place after shootout success

Kommentaar

Republikein 2026-02-06

Meld asseblief aan om kommentaar te lewer

Intekening vereis om toegang tot inhoud te kry. ×

MELD AAN

Advertensie

Intekening vereis om toegang tot inhoud te kry.