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Vincent Aboubakar scored twice in the opening game of the Africa Cup
Photo:
MOHAMED ABD EL GHANY / REUTERS
Because of the corona situation, the organizers of the Africa Cup in December openly thought about canceling the football tournament in Cameroon, but then decided to hold it.
Now Cameroon won the start against a weakened Burkina Faso 2: 1 (2: 1).
Six Burkinabe players and also coach Kamou Malo were absent after positive corona tests.
The team still had to compete, the continental association had announced on Sunday that the games should take place if both teams have at least eleven players with negative tests.
In comparison, there are 16 negative players in the Bundesliga.
In the event of a game being canceled, the game would be rated 0: 2 against the team responsible for it.
In "exceptional cases" a suitable decision is reserved, it said.
In the meantime, if all goalkeepers in a team fail because of a positive corona test, a field player has to go into the goal.
Burkina Faso takes the lead
In front of 45,000 fans in Yaoundé, the Burkinabe initially caused a real surprise: After a mistake by Cameroon goalkeeper André Onana, Gustavo Sangaré scored to lead the outsider (24th minute).
In the first half, however, two impetuous entrances each resulted in penalties for Cameroon: Vincent Aboubakar converted both times (40th, 45th + 3).
The event in the middle of the corona pandemic and the current season had caused criticism in the European leagues.
The tournament takes place in winter due to better weather conditions.
Summer is the rainy season in Cameroon.
Some European clubs had considered refusing to release their players, but there had been protests.
When Ivorian Sebastien Haller, employed by Ajax Amsterdam in the Netherlands, was asked whether he would prefer to stay there, he replied angrily: The question shows "the lack of respect for Africa," said Haller.
"Would this question ever be asked of a European player before the European Championship?"
hba / dpa / sid
