Burkina Faso produced a stunning late turnaround to defeat Equatorial Guinea 2-1 in their opening Group E match at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Stallions dominated possession and chances in the first half at the Stade Mohamed V but were unable to turn their superiority into goals, ending the opening 45 minutes without a breakthrough.
Burkina Faso thought they had finally taken the lead in the 71st minute when Lassina Traoré finished from close range after connecting with a dangerous delivery into the box. The celebrations were short-lived, however, as the referee consulted VAR and ruled the goal offside in the build-up.
That decision shifted the rhythm of the game, and Equatorial Guinea took advantage late on. In the 85th minute, a well-taken corner from Carlos Akapo found Marvin Anieboh free in the penalty area, and the defender headed powerfully into the top corner to put his side ahead.
With defeat looming, Burkina Faso pushed forward with urgency. Their pressure paid off deep into stoppage time when Georgi Minoungou calmly slotted home from inside the box in the 95th minute to draw his team level.
The dramatic comeback was completed moments later as Edmond Tapsoba reacted fastest to a loose ball inside the six-yard area, nodding it into the net in the eighth minute of added time to seal a memorable 2-1 victory.
The thrilling win places Burkina Faso at the top of Group E, ahead of the remaining fixture between Algeria and Sudan.
