The Stallions of Burkina Faso beat Gabon 7-6 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in regulation time to qualify to the quarter finals of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Cameroon 2021.
Substitute Ismahila scored the all important winning penalty to send the Stallions through following a marathon shoot out.
Kanga, Yannis Yapende and Lloyd Palun missed for Gabon while Saidou Simpore and Abdoul Tapsoba failed to score for Burkina Faso.
The last 16 match had everything in it, a missed penalty, two disallowed goals and a sending off.
The Burkinabes started brightly against Panthers winning a penalty inside 13 minutes in the first knockout match of the tournament.
Forward Issa Kabore won the spot kick following a late challenge from Gabon’s Sidney Obissa. Bertrand Traore fired the resulting penalty against the woodwork with keeper beaten.
Patrice Neveu’s side came close to breaking the deadlock midway through the first when Boupendza’s first time volley inside the Burkinabe box came off Ibrahim Toure.
Traore scored the opener just before the half hour mark to put Burkina Faso ahead with a fine finish from Aboubacar Ouattara’s through ball.
Gabon continued to push searching for the equaliser but Kouakou Koffi denied them. The Royal Charleroi keeper pulled a smart low save to deny Boupendza.
Boupendza found the back of net for Gabon but he was flagged offside before Kouakou Koffi denied Lloyd Palun from distance to give Burkina Faso the advantage at the break.
Gabon’s diminutive midfielder Kanga was instrumental in the Panthers attack as they push forward. The Serbia based star smartly placed in Boupendza from a free kick with the forward firing straight into the Burkinabe defense.
Gabon were reduced to 10 men after the dismissal of defender Sidney Obissa for a second booking on 65 minutes.
With the numerical advantage Burkina Faso controlled the match creating numerous chances but they failed to take them.
Adama Guira scored an own on the stroke of full time to level the score for Gabon. Captain Bruno Ecuele Manga rose high to head a corner which was turned in by Adama to send the match to extra time.
The 10 men of Gabon battled to take the match into penalties with goalkeeper Jean Noel Amonome producing some brilliant saves to keep out the Stallions.
Amonome stopped Abdoul Tapsoba’s goal bound effort 10 into extra time before pulling brilliant save to keep out Ouattara’s volley.
Burkina Faso will play the winner between Nigeria and Tunisia in the quarter finals of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Cameroon 2021.