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Gabon beats Burkina Faso 2-0 in AFCON

Xinhua, January 19, 2015 Adjust font size:

Gabon have gone top of Group A in the on-going 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) after a 2-0 win over Burkina Faso on Saturday night.

The Gabon team that reached the quarter-final stage of the 2012 edition scored in each half to give Paul Put's team no chance in a game played at the Bata Stadium in Equatorial Guinea.

Skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who plays in the German Bundesliga netted the first goal in the 19th minute with a beautiful strike after dribbling in the box and planting the ball past the goalkeeper.

Burkina Faso's star player Jonathan Pitroipa later missed two clear chances. With only Gabon goalkeeper Dideir Ovono to beat in the 36th minute, Pitroipa sent in a weak shot that was saved.

In the second half Burkina Faso returned strongly and put Gabon under pressure, but Gabon played tight at the back. Alian Traore's two consecutive free kicks from close range all missed the target.

Ovono was called in to save Bertrand Troare's low shot in the 64th minuet when he acrobatically kicked the ball out for a corner kick. Two minutes later Malick Evouna increased Gabon's lead with a well headed goal.

Gabon who are ranked 62nd in the world will now be hungry to pick another win to have chances of making it to the later stages of the tournament which will climax on the Feb. 8 final at the Bata Stadium. Endi