Coach Jorge Costa’s Gabon team kick started the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) with a 2-0 win over Burkina Faso in a Group A game played at the Bata Stadium.
A goal in each half was enough to give Gabon a convincing win against a hard fighting Burkina Faso side.
Gabon skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who plies his trade in the German Bundesliga for netted the first goal in the 19th minute with a beautiful strike after dribbling in the box and planting the ball past the goalkeeper.
But Burkina Faso’s star player Jonathan Pitroipa was a victim of two clear missed chances in the first half. With only Gabon goalkeeper Dideir Ovono to beat on 36th minute, Pitroipa sent in a weak shot that was saved, while his second few minutes after missed the target.
In the second half Burkina Faso returned strongly and put Gabon under pressure, but Gabon played tight at the back. Alian Traore’s two consecutive free kicks from close range all missed the target.
Ovono was called in to save Bertrand Troare’s low shot in the 64th minute when he acrobatically kicked the ball out for a corner. Two minutes later Malick Evouna increased Gabon’s lead with a well headed goal.
Coach Paul Put made some changes later in the second half, but to Burkina Faso still failed to score any goals.
The win places Gabon of Group A with three points and two goals, while hosts Equatorial Guinea and Congo Brazzaville who drew 1-1 in the opening game are joint second and Burkina Faso bottom.