Round-up as Burkina Faso beat Mauritania in the Africa Cup of Nations; Aston Villa striker Bertrand Traore was the match winner with a late penalty to decide the Group D game; Tunisia fell to a shock 1-0 defeat against Namibia; Mali beat South Africa 2-0
Tuesday 16 January 2024 22:28, UK
Bertrand Traore scored a late penalty as Burkina Faso snatched a 1-0 victory over Mauritania in their Africa Cup of Nations opener.
Aston Villa's Traore, a former Chelsea forward who is currently on loan at Istanbul Basaksehir, netted in added time to decide the Group D game in Bouake.
Mauritania, making their third appearance at the tournament, were denied on two occasions in the first half as Burkina Faso goalkeeper Herve Koffi kept out efforts from striker Aboubakary Koita.
Mauritania have only scored one goal in the history of the tournament and their goalless run since 2019 continued when Koffi denied Sidi Amar in the second period, before Traore settled the contest late on.
The game's first chance fell to Koita, who drilled straight into the grasp of Koffi six minutes in.
Burkina Faso produced their first strike on target 10 minutes later when Mohamed Konate rose highest from a free-kick but saw his header comfortably saved by Babacar Niasse.
Mauritania were looking for their first ever win in the competition and came close to the opener half an hour in when Koffi was wrong-footed by a Koita free-kick but recovered to tip the ball over the bar for a corner.
Mauritania, ranked 48 places below their opponents in the FIFA rankings, threatened again through Hemeya Tanjy but his effort from outside the area was saved.
Burkina Faso started the second period with a little more zest and had a chance when Stephane Aziz Ki received a ball from Issoufou Dayo and shot just wide.
Mauritania almost snatched the lead in superb fashion with 15 minutes to go when substitute Amar twisted and turned outside the box before unleashing an effort towards goal which was tipped wide by Koffi.
Burkina Faso, who had scored in their previous 14 AFCON matches, were next to threaten when Traore's curling strike was plucked out of the top corner by goalkeeper Niasse.
They were given the chance to make the decisive breakthrough in added time following a VAR check, after Nouh El Abd brought Issa Kabore down inside the box.
Traore, a 73rd-minute substitute, stepped up and slammed the ball home to ensure a first win in their opening game of the tournament in 13 attempts for Burkina Faso.
Tunisia fell to a shock 1-0 defeat against Namibia in their Africa Cup of Nations opener in Korhogo.
Deon Hotto stole in to head the winner in the 88th minute for the side ranked 115 in the world, getting on the end of substitute Bethuel Muzeu's cross.
It leaves Tunisia facing a challenge to make it to the last 16, with matches against South Africa and Mali to come in the group stage.
For Namibia, it was a first-ever win at the tournament at their 10th attempt across four finals.
Peter Shalulile had the chance after 10 minutes to give them a surprise early lead but fired straight at Bechir Ben Said after the ball reached him inside the box, striking first time when he had space to take a touch.
Yousef Msakni tested goalkeeper Lloyd Kazapua with a header from a corner seconds after the break as Tunisia looked to finally make their supposed superiority count.
Shalulile, making his 50th international appearance, had an even better opportunity minutes later, meeting a low cross with his toe and seeing his effort diverted behind from the foot of the post by defender Montassar Talbi.
Talbi put a header wide from a free-kick after 70 minutes with the goalkeeper having committed himself. Kazapua redeemed himself in Tunisia's next attack, saving with his legs from Elias Achouri after coming out and narrowing the angle well.
Ben Said punched Hotto's free-kick from the right over the bar in the final five minutes as Namibia sought an unlikely win.
And with two minutes of normal time to play, the goal that stunned Tunisia arrived, Hotto appearing inside the six-yard box to nod home and cause the shock of the tournament so far.
Hamari Traore and Lassine Sinayoko struck second-half goals as Mali launched their Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a 2-0 victory over South Africa.
Captain Traore tapped his side into a 60th-minute lead in the Group E encounter in Korhogo before striker Sinayoko quickly added a second.
South Africa had the better of the opening period but paid a heavy price for a penalty miss from former Brighton forward Percy Tau.
Following a relatively uneventful start to the match, the 1996 champions were handed a golden chance to edge ahead after Evidence Makgopa was caught in the face by the elbow of Sikou Niakate inside Mali's box.
Egyptian referee Mohamed Edel pointed to the spot following VAR intervention, only for Tau to wastefully fire his 19th-minute effort high over the crossbar.
Tau, who left the Seagulls to join Egyptian club Al Ahly in 2021, was then twice denied by Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra as he sought to make amends.
Mali barely threatened in the opening period but nearly snatched the lead in added time when poor defending from Siyanda Xulu and Mothobi Mvala was almost punished by Auxerre forward Sinayoko.
RB Leipzig midfielder Amadou Haidara should have put 1972 runners-up Mali in front just four minutes into the second period but he somehow skied over after being slipped clear by Sekou Koita.
Eric Chelle's side were far better after the restart and grabbed the lead with half an hour remaining.
Koita's curling left-footed free-kick from the edge of the box was kept out by a combination of South Africa 'keeper Ronwen Williams and the bar but fell kindly for Real Sociedad defender Traore to poke home.
Sinayoko put the result beyond doubt only six minutes later, escaping Xulu to latch on to Kamory Doumbia's through ball and jab beyond Bafana Bafana captain Williams.
South Africa never looked like salvaging anything from the game in the closing stages, albeit they did strike the left post through a speculative long-range free-kick deep into added time.
