Burkina Faso scored within the ninety fifth and 98th minutes to disclaim 10-player Equatorial Guinea the primary main shock of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 because the international locations began their group stage campaigns in astonishingly dramatic type.
Marvin Aniebo headed the underdogs in entrance 5 minutes from the tip of standard time of their Group E opener, just for Georgi Minoungou’s close-range end and Edmond Tapsoba’s header to show the outcome round for The Stallions deep into second-half added time.
Basilio Ndong was despatched off for the Nationwide Thunder 5 minutes after half-time for treading on Sunderland ahead Bertrand Traore’s ankle, however the group ranked 97th by Fifa overcame the left-back’s dismissal and an abundance of strain to go forward in opposition to opponents 35 locations above them earlier than shedding in merciless circumstances.
Burkina Faso vs Equatorial Guinea
Regardless of having the likes of Traore and £42 million Brentford file signing Dango Ouattara in assault, Burkina Faso squandered a plethora of possibilities and fell behind in opposition to the run of virtually the entire contest when Aniebo met Carlos Akapo’s nook in knowledgeable style.
Having earlier had a Lassina Traore strike dominated out for offside after the second-half substitute met Ouattara’s knockdown, Brama Traore’s group may have been forgiven for suspecting their luck was out – however the development of ultra-late targets on the match then continued with their outstanding comeback.
Minoungou fired in after Ouattara collected Tapsoba’s intelligent move contained in the field and was introduced down for what would virtually definitely have been a penalty, and Tapsoba had the ultimate say when goalkeeper Jesus Owono flapped at a cross.
Each groups are subsequent in motion on Monday, when Equatorial Guinea meet Sudan (15:00 GMT) earlier than Burkina Faso face Algeria (17:30).
Burkina Faso group vs Equatorial Guinea
Lorient left-back Arsene Kouassi and Hearts ahead Landry Kabore made their AFCON debuts for Burkina Faso.
Striker Ouattara has three targets on this season’s Premier League, in addition to profitable 4 penalties – probably the most of any participant within the division.
Winger Issa Kabore, who was on the bench, has been at Manchester Metropolis since 2020, making the most recent of a collection of mortgage strikes to second-tier Wrexham this season.
Burkina Faso beginning XI: Herve Koffi, Steeve Yago, Issoufou Dayo, Edmond Tapsoba, Arsene Kouassi, Ismahila Ouedraogo, Gustavo Sangare, Blati Toure, Bertrand Traore, Dango Ouattara, Landry Kabore
Burkina Faso substitutes: Farid Ouedraogo, Lassina Traore, Abdoul Ayinde, Adamo Nagalo Nasser Djiga, Mohamed Zougrana, Cedric Badolo, Issa Kabore, Ousseni Bouda, Stephane Aziz Ki, Georgi Minoungou, Cyriaque Irie, Kilian Nikiema, Saidou Simpore
Equatorial Guinea group vs Burkina Faso
Actual Madrid prospect Loren Zuniga began in assault for Equatorial Guinea, who had 2023 AFCON golden boot winner Emilio Nsue on the bench.
Nsue, 36, performs for Spanish second-tier aspect Intercity and is his nation’s file scorer.
Equatorial Guinea beginning XI: Jesus Owono, Carlos Akapo, Esteban Orozco, Saul Coco, Basilio Ndong, Loren Zuniga, Jose Machín, Omar Mascarell, Pablo Ganet, Luis Asue, Iban Salvador
Equatorial Guinea substitutes: Nestor Senra, Marvin Anieboh, Alex Balboa, Jannick Buyla, Dorian Junior, Emilio Nsue, Charles Ondo, Aitor Embela, Pedro Obiang, Josete Miranda, Santiago Eneme, Manuel Sapunga, Jose Nabil Ondo, Gael Akogo Esono, Alex Masogo
AFCON 2025 fixtures, outcomes in the present day
All kick-off occasions are GMT.
Burkina Faso 2-1 Equatorial Guinea
Algeria vs Sudan (15:00, Rabat)
Ivory Coast vs Mozambique (17:30, Marrakech)
Cameroon vs Gabon (20:00, Agadir)
Burkina Faso AFCON 2025 squad
Goalkeepers: Herve Koffi (Angers), Kilian Nikiema (ADO Den Haag), Sofiane Farid Ouedraogo (Al Hilal)
Defenders: Nasser Yacouba Djiga (Rangers), Edmond Tapsoba (Bayer Leverkusen), Issoufou Dayo (Umm Salal), Adamo Nagalo (PSV Eindhoven), Steeve Yago (Aris Limassol), Issa Kabore (Wrexham), Arsene Kouassi (Lorient), Abdoul Rachid Ayinde (Gent)
Midfielders: Ibrahim Blati Toure (Pyramids), Cedric Badolo (Spartak Trnava), Saidou Simpore (Nationwide Financial institution), Mohamed Zougrana (MC Alger), Gustavo Sangare (Noah), Stephane Aziz Ki (Wydad Casablanca), Ismahila Ouedraogo (OB Odense)
Forwards: Bertrand Traore (Sunderland), Dango Ouattara (Brentford), Ousseni Bouda (San Jose Earthquakes), Pierre Landry Kabore (Hearts), Georgi Minoungou (Seattle Sounders), Cyriaque Ire (Freiburg), Lassina Traore (Shakhtar Donetsk)
Equatorial Guinea AFCON 2025 squad
Goalkeepers: Jesus Owono (FC Andorra), Manuel Sapunga (Sekhukhune Utd), Aitor Embela (Soneja)
Defenders: Esteban Orozco (FC Arges), Marvin Anieboh (UD San Sebastian de los Reyes), Carlos Akapo (Amazonas), Saul Coco (Torino), Basilio Ndong (KF Tirana), Michael Ngaah (Actual Avila), Nestor Senra (Recreativo Huelva), Charles Ondo (Portland Timbers), Javier Mum (Maestro United)
Midfielders: Jannick Buyla (CD Numancia), Omar Mascarell (Mallorca), Pablo Ganet (Persita Tangerang), Alex Masogo (Beroe Stara Zagora), Alex Balboa (CD Lugo), Jose Machin (Vis Pesaro), Pedro Obiang (Monza), Santiago Eneme (Sparta Prague).
Forwards: Iban Salvador (Wisla Plock), Josete Miranda (PS Kalamata), Gael Joel Akogo (Recre Granada), Jose Nabil Ondo (Nantes B), Luis Asue (Shanghai Shenhua), Dorian Hanza (Viborg), Loren Zuniga (Actual Madrid Castilla), Emilio Nsue (CF Intercity).
AFCON 2025 fixtures, full Africa Cup of Nations schedule
Sunday, December 21 2025
- Group A: Morocco 2-0 Comoros (Rabat)
Monday, December 22 2025
- Group A: Mali 1-1 Zambia (Casablanca)
- Group B: South Africa 2-1 Angola (Marrakech, 17:00)
- Group B: Egypt 2-1 Zimbabwe (Agadir, 20:00)
Tuesday, December 23 2025
- Group D: Senegal 3-0 Botswana (Tangier, 12:30)
- Group D: DR Congo 1-0 Benin (Rabat, 15:00)
- Group C: Nigeria 2-1 Tanzania (Fes, 17:30)
- Group C: Tunisia 3-1 Uganda (Rabat, 20:00)
Wednesday, December 24 2025
- Group E: Burkina Faso vs Equatorial Guinea (Casablanca, 12:30)
- Group E: Algeria vs Sudan (Rabat, 15:00)
- Group F: Ivory Coast vs Mozambique (Marrakech, 17:30)
- Group F: Cameroon vs Gabon (Agadir, 20:00)
Friday, December 26 2025
- Group B: Angola vs Zimbabwe (Marrakech, 12:30)
- Group B: Egypt vs South Africa (Agadir, 15:00)
- Group A: Zambia vs Comoros (Casablanca, 17:30)
- Group A: Morocco vs Mali (Rabat, 20:00)
Saturday, December 27 2025
- Group D: Benin vs Botswana (Rabat, 12:30)
- Group D: Senegal vs DR Congo (Tangier, 15:00)
- Group C: Uganda vs Tanzania (Rabat 3, 17:30)
- Group C: Nigeria vs Tunisia (Fes, 20:00)
Sunday, December 28 2025
- Group F: Gabon vs Mozambique (Agadir, 12:30)
- Group E: Equatorial Guinea vs Sudan (Casablanca, 15:00)
- Group E: Algeria vs Burkina Faso (Rabat, 17:30)
- Group F: Ivory Coast vs Cameroon, (Marrakech, 20:00)
Monday, December 29 2025
- Group B: Angola vs Egypt (Agadir, 16:00)
- Group B: Zimbabwe vs South Africa (Marrakech, 16:00)
- Group A: Comoros vs Mali (Casablanca, 19:00)
- Group A: Zambia vs Morocco (Rabat, 19:00)
Tuesday, December 30 2025
- Group C: Tanzania vs Tunisia (Rabat, 16:00)
- Group C: Uganda vs Nigeria (Fes, 16:00)
- Group D: Benin vs Senegal (Tangier, 19:00)
- Group D: Botswana vs DR Congo (Rabat, 19:00)
Wednesday, December 31 2025
- Group E: Equatorial Guinea vs Algeria (Rabat, 16:00)
- Group E: Sudan vs Burkina Faso (Casablanca, 16:00)
- Group F: Gabon vs Ivory Coast (Marrakech, 19:00)
- Group F: Mozambique vs Cameroon (Agadir, 19:00)
Africa Cup of Nations 2025 spherical of 16
Saturday, January 3 2026
- SR1: Group D winners vs Group B/E/F third-place (Tangier, 16:00)
- SR2: Group A runners-up vs Group C runners-up (Casablanca, 19:00)
Sunday, January 4
- SR3: Group A winners vs Group C/D/E third-place (Rabat, 16:00)
- SR4: Group B runners-up vs Group F runners-up (Rabat, 19:00)
Monday, January 5
- SR5: Group B winners vs Group A/C/D third-place (Agadir, 6pm)
- SR6: Group C winners vs Group A/B/F third-place (Fes, 8:30pm)
Tuesday, January 6
- SR7: Group E winners vs Group D runners-up (Rabat 2, 6pm)
- SR8: Group F winners vs Group E runners-up (Marrakech, 8:30pm)
Africa Cup of Nations 2025 quarter-finals
Friday, January 9
- QF1: Winner SR2 vs Winner SR1 (Tangier, 16:00)
- QF2: Winner SR4 vs Winner SR3 (Rabat, 19:00)
Saturday, January 10
- QF3: Winner SR7 vs Winner SR6 (Marrakech, 16:00)
- QF4: Winner SR5 vs Winner SR8 (Agadir, 19:00)
Africa Cup of Nations 2025 semi-finals
Wednesday, January 14
- SF1: Winner QF1 vs Winner QF4 (Tangier, 17:00)
- SF2: Winner QF3 vs Winner QF2 (Rabat, 20:00)
Africa Cup of Nations 2025 third-place match
Saturday, January 17
- SF1 vs SF2 losers (Casablanca, 16:00)
Africa Cup of Nations 2025 remaining
Sunday, January 18
- SF1 vs SF2 winners (Rabat, 19:00)
