Early Exit for Host Gabon as Senegal, Cameroon Progresses

AFCON 2017…AFCON 2017… AFCON 2017…
Gabon and Cameroon drew 0-0 in their 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) clash at the Stade de l’Amitié in Libreville last night.

As a result tournament hosts Gabon fail to reach the quarter-finals after finishing third in Group A, while second-placed Cameroon advance alongside Burkina Faso. 

Gabon dominated the opening stages of the game with their main striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang guilty of missing a sitter just four minutes into the game.

In the 20th minute, Cameroon goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa produced a finger-tip save to deny Gabon midfielder Denis Bouanga, who was looking to open the scoring for his side.

Bouanga, who was lively for the Panthers, was brilliantly dispossessed by Cameroon defender Nicolas N’koulou in the 40th minute, and ultimately the first-half ended goalless.

Cameroon thought they deserved to be handed a penalty in the 63rd minute after Gabon keeper Didier Ovono clattered into Edgar Salli, but the referee was not interested.

Serge Kevyn Angoue, a striker by trade, was introduced by Gabon coach Jose Antonio Camacho in the 73rd minute as the tournament hosts searched for the opening goal.

However, Cameroon stood firm at the back in the dying minutes of the encounter and ultimately, the match ended in a goalless draw.
Elsewhere on the night, Burkina Faso progressed to the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals as group winners after seeing off Guinea-Bissau.
A defensive mix up gifted Burkina Faso the lead, as defender Rudinilson Silva headed past onrushing goalkeeper Jonas Mendes and into his own net.
On-loan Ajax forward Bertrand Traore doubled the advantage with a composed left-footed finish after the break.
Guinea-Bissau, making their Africa Cup of Nations debut in this tournament, looked the more likely to open the scoring, before handing Burkina Faso the lead.
Rudinilson’s header looked to have crossed the line, but Prejuce Nakoulma thumped in to make sure after Guinea-Bissau attempted to scramble it away.
The dangerous Piqueti went closest to levelling, but Burkina Faso keeper Koffi Kouakou was able to push the winger’s low strike wide of the far post.
Juary Soares could have equalised in the second half when a corner found the Guinea-Bissau defender unmarked at in the six-yard box, but Abdou Traore threw himself in front of the goalbound shot.
Burkina Faso immediately went down to the other end to increase their lead, with Nakoulma setting up Traore, on loan at Ajax from Chelsea, to slide a finish beyond Mendes.

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