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The wait is over as AFCON 2021 to kick off with Cameroon vs Burkina Faso clash

By Vincent Ashitey
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The long wait is over, and the AFCON is finally here.

Cameroon and Burkina Faso will kick-off the 33rd edition of Africa’s flagship competition when they lock horns at the totally new Olembe Stadium in Cameroon capital Yaoundé on Sunday, 9 January 2022.

Five-time African champions Cameroon are at home, and they will be looking forward to a good start in front of their faithful supporters.

The Indomitable Lions, who have been preparing since the end of December, will start this competition with the desire to win their sixth AFCON title at home.

Fifty years since hosting the continental showpiece in 1972, Cameroon are hoping for the ultimate this time round.

The Stallions of Burkina Faso's ambitions look high. The Stallions traveled to Cameroon with the firm intention of doing better than their best outing in 2013, when they narrowly lost the final to Nigeria.

Facing the hosts in the opening might be a tough start, but The Burkinabe look like a team with a mission that they will do everything to perform.

What they said

Head coach of Cameroon Antonio Conceiçao has said playing the Stallions will not be an easy task but they are ready for the competition.

"It is for a new challenge with the Indomitable Lions. We will try to achieve our ambitions. We prepared well and now we are ready for the competition. Our opponent is not an easy team. But we have the strength and determination to make a good start.”

Vincent Aboubacar (Forward, Cameroon)

“On behalf of all Cameroonians, welcome to all the teams who will participate in this TotalEnergies AFCON. We will play hard to achieve a good competition. We are focused on our goal and prepared well for this competition.”

 

Sanou Firmen (Assistant coach, Burkina Faso)

"We are facing the hosts which is difficult. But we have the means to achieve our objectives, and to go as far as possible in this competition. We will play with a young generation of talented players. Our first objective is to get past the group stage and our ultimate target is the title.”

Bertrand Traoré (Forward, Burkina Faso)

"We have a good team. For me, it is a pleasure to be here and I have the intention of playing at my best level and bringing what’s most expected of me.

Match Facts

●         This will be Cameroon and Burkina Faso’s third encounter in the Africa Cup of Nations. Both previous meetings came in the group phase: Cameroon won 1-0 in the 1998 before a 1-1 draw in 2017.

●         Cameroon are making their 20th appearance in the Africa Cup of Nations, a tally only bettered by Egypt (25), Cote d'Ivoire (24) and Ghana (23). Egypt (7) are the only team to have won the tournament on more occasions than The Indomitable Lions (5).

●         Cameroon are hosting the Africa Cup of Nations for the second time, 50 years after it was first held in the country, in 1972 – they finished third. Egypt are the last team to win the AFCON as hosts, it was in 2006.

●         This is Burkina Faso’s 12th appearance in the Africa Cup of Nations. In their previous 11 participations, they have either been eliminated in the group stages (8 times) or at least reached the semi-finals (3 times), including the final in 2013 (0-1 v Nigeria).

●         Cameroon striker Vincent Aboubakar has scored only one goal in his eight AFCON appearances (18 shots), although that was the winning goal in the 2017 final against Egypt (2-1).