Tapsoba and Burkina Faso blow 3-0 lead and lose to Cameroon in third-place-playoff
Though he was neither on the pitch nor on the bench squad, Bayern striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting of Cameroon will be in line for a bronze medal after his country prevailed in Saturday's third-place-playoff at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
Edmond Tapsoba, on the other hand, will surely head back to Germany in a foul mood after his native land of Burkina Faso blew a 3-0 lead in the second half.
AFCON 2021 Hosts Cameroon, still stinging from semi-final defeat at the hands of the Egyptians on Thursday, went into Saturday's third-place playoff with what could aptly be described as their "C-squad". Vincent Aboubakar, Karl Toko Ekambi, Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui, and virtually all the other regular starters took a seat in favor of others. Former FSV Mainz 05 midfielder Pierre Kunde-Malong did start in the ten-slot behind lone striker Stephane Bahoken.
Edmond Tapsoba, on the other hand, will surely head back to Germany in a foul mood after his native land of Burkina Faso blew a 3-0 lead in the second half.
Kamou Malo's Burkinabé also featured some changes, but solid tournament performers Bertrand Traoré, Cheick Djibril Ouattara, Gustavo Sangaré, Steeve Yago, Aboul Fessal Tapsoba, and Blati Touré all remained in the XI. Bayer 04 Leverkusen center back Edmond Tapsoba also began the game on the pitch. The 23-year-old made his sixth consecutive tournament start. As was the case in all his other six appearances, the Werkself defender was not subbed off.
The higher caliber Burkinabé Stallions went on to dominate the first half after a brief feeling-out period. Veteran fullback Yago scored the first goal in the 24th. The Stallions then forced Cameroon keeper André Onana into an unfortunate own-goal one minute before the break. When Ouattara scored the 3-0 three minutes after the restart, the game seemed to be over. The three-goal scoreline even held until the 71st.
Bahoken converted a corner less than twenty minutes from time for an apparent consolation. Aboubakar--subbed on at the half--converted off another corner 14 minutes later. In a somewhat controversial play in the 87th, Aboubakar shoved off his marker into onrushing Burkinabé keeper Farid Ouedraogo. The two then collided and all Aboubakar had to do was slide home into the empty net. The equalizer held up despite a VAR check.
There being no extra time in a third-place-playoff, the match went directly to penalties. Ouedraogo had to go off injured and his replacement Aboubacar Sawadogo barely had time to warm up ahead of the lottery. Unlike in Thursday's loss, the Indomitable Lions were perfect from the spot this time. Five conversions and a Yago miss were enough for Cameroon to secure bronze.
Bundesligist Tapsoba, who did convert a penalty in his country's round-of-16 shootout victory over Gabon, did not get a chance to take a spot kick this time.