Burkina Faso edged Gabon on Sunday in Limbe after penalty kicks for a place in the quarter-finals of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon.

Ismahila Ouedraogo scored the winning penalty kick for a 7-6 penalty kicks win after a 1-1 draw.

The game was sent to extra time after a dramatic late equaliser, after a tight encounter, and an even more tense shoot-out was ultimately decided by the 22-year-old Ouedraogo.

There had been a penalty kick in normal time after Sidney Obissa brought down Issa Kabore in the 14th minute.

But Burkina Faso’s Bertrand Traore slammed his effort against the crossbar.

The Aston Villa man was not to be denied 10 minutes later, though, when he ran on to a through ball from Hassane Bande.

He slotted in off the post past the onrushing Jean Noel Amonome.

Gabon thought they were level four minutes before half-time as a long ball from skipper Bruno Ecuele Manga found Aaron-Salem Boupendza.

The latter cut inside and finished well but was ruled to be offside.

Obissa received his marching orders in the 67th minute after picking up a second yellow card, but Gabon still forced extra time.

A corner-kick in the opening minute of added time was headed in by Ecuele Manga, though it went down as an Adama Guira own goal.

An extra 30 minutes could not separate the sides, and so the game went to penalty kicks, with both teams scoring six each of their respective first eight attempts.

After Lloyd Palun hit Gabon’s ninth penalty kick against the bar, Ouedraogo finally ended things by sending Amonome the wrong way.

The Burkinabes will now meet Tunisia on Saturday in Garoua.

(NAN)