Pierre Aubameyang and Malik Evouna were on target as Gabon recorded a 2-0 win against Burkina Faso in the second 2015 Africa Cup of Nations encounter at Estadio de Bata.
Victory saw Gabon take early control of Group A after Equatorial Guinea and Congo’s 1-1 draw earlier in the day.
Aubameyang, the Borussia Dortmund striker displayed composure and patience to shoot into the roof of the net following a first attempt that deflected off Burkina Faso goal keeper Germain Sanou.
Aubameyang’s 19th goal minute remained the only difference between the two sides as Burkina Faso missed a couple of chances into half time.
Burkina Faso’s Zongo failed to get contact with the ball for a strike after a loop through the defense on the left
goal side and the chances kept getting squandered as Allan Traore’s strike also went way above the goal despite piling pressure.
Gabon went 2-0 nil up in the 72nd minute in the second half. thanks to Malik Evouna’s towering header off Frederic Bulot’s cross from the right edge of the box.
Both keepers kept the scores constant till the final whistle with brilliant saves on both ends of the pitch. Bertrand Traoré’s shot got stopped by Gabon’s Keeper Didier Ovono before Allan Traore hit Burkina Faso’s free kick wide.
Allan Traore again got unlucky with another free kick that brushed off the cross bar to go out before Jonathan Pitroipa failed to find space in Gabon’s defence as his shot got blocked.
Germain Sanou made a brilliant save to keep Gabon at 2-0 just before the final whistle that confirmed victory for Jorge Costa’s men, the Panthers over Paul Put’s Burkinese.
