Stallions are having none of taming as they knock Cape Verde for the first AFCON win

And now for something completely different. 1-0.

For the tenth time on the current AFCON, we've seen a tie decided by a single goal, and this time it was Burkina Faso who topped Cape Verde 1-0 in the second match of the day in Group A.

Instead of booking their place in the next stage, the Blue Sharks suffered a major blow with this loss. The fact they'll face superb hosts Cameroon in the ultimate game of the group stage is something they should worry about because another defeat would probably lead to their AFCON exit despite the maiden victory.

Aboubakar's blitzkrieg melts down the Walias in the Olembe heat

On the other hand, the Stallions resurrected after that 2-1 loss to Cameroon and demonstrated a quality that brought them to this competition. Even without their top star Bernard Traore - who was tested positive for coronavirus - the Stallions prevailed and are looking forward to their crucial last-round tie against already written off Ethiopia.

Tapsoba of Burkina Faso was the first to make a statement with a powerful free-kick ten minutes into the game, but the Cape Verde keeper was there to save it.

On the other end, Tavares was given a splendid opportunity to break the deadlock, but his attempt to put it in the bottom right corner ended in a miss and the striker's disbelief.

Unlike those two, a Burkinabe winger Hassane Bande had no problems in finding the back of the net once Issa Kabore found him in the heart of the area with a sharp and exact cross five minutes before the break.

This opener was - as we've seen it later - the game's only goal despite some more chances on both ends. The Blue Sharks had their finest (if not the only, actually) chance on the verge of the 60th minute, as Stopira's header went close to the crossbar following a corner from the left.

Garry Rodriguez finally stepped up a few minutes later, amid one decent counter-attack, but Koffi denied his strike.

It was not before a stoppage-time when Cape Verde gave that one last push in order to somehow level the game, but the Blue Sharks failed to bite their fearless rivals.

AFCON - GROUP A

Cameroon - Ethiopia 4-1 (1-1)

/Toko Ekambi 8,67, Aboubakar 53, 56 - Hotessa 4/

Cape Verde - Burkina Faso 0-1 (0-1)

/Bande 39/