AFCON hosts Gabon exit after barren draw

By KBC SportsDesk

There was agony for Gabon last night as the Africa Cup of Nations hosts were condemned to a group-stage exit following a goalless draw with Cameroon in Libreville. 

Star man Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was guilty of a glaring early miss while Denis Bouanga broke down in tears at the end after hitting the post at the death as the Panthers played out a third draw in as many games.

Despite ending the group stage unbeaten, Gabon become just the fourth host nation and the first since Tunisia in 1994 to be eliminated from the Africa Cup of Nations in the group stage.

After a build-up to the competition marred by the withdrawals of key players, Cameroon go through to the last eight as runners-up in Group “A” with 5 points.

Burkina Faso won the group thanks to their 2-0 victory against Guinea-Bissau in Franceville. Aubameyang had scored in each of the Panthers’ opening games but they could only draw 1-1 against both tournament debutants Guinea-Bissau and Burkina Faso.

In tonight’s Africa cup of Nations group “B” matches, Senegal will face Algeria in Franceville while Zimbabwe play Tunisia in Libreville.

Tunisia are best placed to go through as runners-up behind Senegal, while Algeria, despite the presence of African Footballer of the Year Riyad Mahrez, need to win and hope Tunisia lose if they are to go through to the quarter finals.