Congo win Group A and eliminate Burkina Faso

Congo progressed to the next stage of the African Cup of Nations as Group A winners by beating the hotly-tipped Burkina Faso in a poor game that sprang to life only in the closing stages.

From the start, Burkina Faso knew they needed to score at least once to be in with a chance of progressing to the next stage of the tournament; Congo knew they needed at least one goal to secure their spot.

Yet neither side really came close in what was a fairly poor quality first half. Jonathan Pitroipa netted for Burkina but was offside; Thievy Bifouma dragged his shot for Congo wide of the far post 21 minutes in; but the majority of play consisted of a succession of hopeful long balls for quick attackers to chase, and rarely did they get to them.

Congo began the second half much the brighter, and Bifouma got the goal he probably deserved, turning in a square ball, although Dore, putting in the cross from the right, was well offside.

Burkina then had to chase the game, bringing on Bertrand Traore, Aristide Bance and Issiaka Ouedraogo. The latter two combined to give them hope, Bance turning in an Ouedraogo cross from the right.

But their optimism lasted a matter of seconds, as Germain Sanou flapped at a cross and succeeded only in deflecting it into the net behind him to give Congo the win they warranted.

4’ - OFFSIDE! Pitroipa is playing up front, and is offside by a mile, so his neat roll into the net is needless.

21’ - CHANCE! Thievy Bifouma drags his shot wide of the far post. He looks aggrieved. Closest anyone's come so far.

49’ - OH DEAR! Chance for Dore, in the middle of the goal, and he just doesn't make a proper connection with Thievy's ball. Sanou tips it away.

51’ - GOAL! Congo 1-0 Burkina Faso. Thievy gets the goal he probably deserves, and Congo certainly deserve. He's taken a whack in the process of sticking that ball in the net. On a replay, Dore is offside, he squares it to Thievy, and that's thwack into the goal.

64’ - NO PENALTY! Was that a handball? Burkina think it was, Congo are glad it wasn't given as the referee shakes his head and waves away the appeals. On a rewatch, it hits Ndinga in the midriff, nowhere near his arm.

78’ - CLOSE! Skimming just wide from Bertrand Traore, once again a shot crawling past the far post.

82’ - OFFSIDE! The goalkeeper drops it! Traore gets that into the net, but the flag is up for offside against Ouedrago on the far side. Just to be on the safe side, Mafoumbi stays on the ground as if he's hurt.

86’ - GOAL! Congo 1-1 Burkina Faso. And substitute Bance does the apparently impossible! Congo lost possession, and Ouedraogo's ball in from the right reached Bance at the far post, and his awkward finish gives Burkina a chance.

87’ - GOAL! Congo 2-1 Burkina Faso. Oh, except not! What a hash from the goalkeeper. Sanou came out to punch, and all he did was Superman-style across the air, helping the ball to rebound into the net.

Burkina’s goal was their first and only of the tournament, from 47 shots in 266 minutes of action.

Burkina Faso have registered just one win in their last 20 Africa Cup of Nations group games (D7 L12).

What an odd group this has turned out to be. And what’s gone wrong with Burkina Faso? After their successful campaign last time out, everyone was expecting them to cruise through – and all they’ve mustered are some scrappy performances and a single goal.

Thievy Bifouma (Congo): Tough to pick one from a poor game littered with errors - Bifouma comes closest to being man of the match, even though he only played two-thirds of the game.

Congo: Mafoumbi 5, Bissiki 5, Bouka-Moutou 5, Francis N'Ganga 5, Baudry 5, Babele 5, Ndinga 6, Oniangue 6, Litsingi 6, Thievy 7, Dore 6. Subs: N'Guessi 6, Douniama 6.

Burkina Faso: Sanou 5, Yago 5, Gouo 5, Koffi 5, Bakary Kone 6, Nakoulma 5, Kabore 5, Abdou Razak Traore 5, Djakaridja Kone 5, Pitroipa 6, Alain Traore 6. Subs: Bance 7, Bertrand Traore 7, Ouedraogo 7.