There are matches that make you want to double-check: wait, do the laws of football still apply? Well, the Africa Cup served exactly that kind of night. Burkina Faso drifted into full “okay lads, pack it up” territory — 0:1 in stoppage time, the scoreboard basically saying good night, the opponent’s celebration already in their pocket… and then the scene began — the sort of thing TV writers shouldn’t watch unless they enjoy feeling insecure.
When “Just A Bit More” Starts Sounding Like a Joke
Day four of the tournament kicked off with pure drama: Equatorial Guinea held on, suffered, and waited for their moment. And early in the second half they even made life harder for themselves — defender Basilio Ndonga absolutely clattered Bertrand Traoré, saw red, and clocked out early. You’d think: play against ten men, press, score. But no — there were no goals at all until the 85th minute. Classic African football: emotions for three games, and the ball hits the net strictly by appointment — right when nobody expects it.
A Corner Kick as the “Turn On Chaos” Button
And then, on 85 minutes, it finally clicked: after a corner, defender Marvin Anyebo opened the scoring — 1:0. The timing was so “perfect” it looked like a master plan: score late, shut up shop, and carry the win home in a little bag. Even the numbers were winking: Equatorial Guinea’s win probability sat at a ridiculous 2.78% (odds 34.00). As if to say: nah, they won’t hold it… and yet — they were holding it.
Burkina Faso threw everything at the equaliser. The officials added eight minutes — basically a mini-match at the end, take it and use it. But until 90+5, Burkina Faso produced roughly… nothing. Logic and composure had left the chat, and their win looked like a “0.93% and don’t embarrass yourselves” situation (odds 101.00). Three minutes to go, 0:1 — who’s believing in miracles at that point?
90+5: “Brentford” Winked, the Ball Bounced — and Off We Went
Then came the goal that’s usually born out of desperation, panic, and a little karmic tripwire. “Brentford” forward Dango Ouattara went down in a challenge, the ball bounced into a place it had no business being — right by the edge of the six-yard box. And there was Georgi Minunğu: he pounced on it and drilled it into the far corner. 1:1 at 90+5. At that moment, Equatorial Guinea fans probably felt something “bounce” inside them too.
90+8: Fatigue Is the Best Playmaker
The most painful part for the Guineans: it wasn’t just a goal conceded — it was like they switched off. At 90+8, Burkina Faso scored the winner — and it looked like Equatorial Guinea’s defence had decided to take a day off. A ball floated into the box, and “Bayer” defender Edmond Tapsoba was simply… not noticed. At all. Seriously. Tapsoba stretched and powered a header home so cleanly, it felt like he’d been waiting his whole life for that moment. 2:1 — hello, chaos.
After the goal, the referee allowed about two seconds of play: Equatorial Guinea launched the ball forward — and the whistle went. That was it. They still had the win in their hands at 90+5, and a blink later they were standing there with empty palms and one very bitter “how on earth?”
The Hero of the Night: A Guy Who Can’t See With His Left Eye — Yet Still Sees the Game
And now for the human storyline: the saviour is Georgi Minunğu. He plays in MLS for “Seattle”, and in everyday football life he could’ve been just another young guy “developing nicely”. But Minunğu has one detail that instantly turns him into a “you’re not breaking me” character: he cannot see with his left eye.
In 2023, at a training camp in Spain, he suffered an eye infection — and lost vision in one eye. Brutal and wildly unfair: you go to preseason, show your best self, a contract opportunity opens up… and then your body goes: “right, let’s test you here.” There was surgery, and doctors advised him to play in goggles to protect the healthy eye. He tried — but the lenses kept fogging up; they got in the way and drove him mad. In the end, Minunğu ditched the idea. And judging by the ice-cold finish at 90+5, nobody should’ve dared to tell him “you can’t”.
What I love most is his mindset: “I’ve got one eye, but I can do this better than people who’ve got two.” That’s not interview bravado — that’s the attitude of someone who doesn’t bargain with fate, just turns up and plays.
What’s Next: Algeria Is Close, and That’s No Fairy Tale
After this match, the group got even spicier: Algeria won 3:0, no theatrical ending, like they were reminding everyone: “romance is cute, but we’re here for business.”
Burkina Faso will now face Algeria on December 28 — that’s the real exam: not just “snatching games with teeth and nails,” but showing whether the team’s strength is the real deal. On the same day, Equatorial Guinea meet Sudan — and they’ll probably have to explain to themselves first how you manage to lose a match you’d basically already won.
Football Reminded Us Again Why We Put Up With It
This was one of those games where stats, odds, and “common sense” all go looking for a sedative together. Burkina Faso did the “impossible”; Minunğu added real human weight to the story — he didn’t just score, he did it in spite of something that could’ve ended anyone.
And that’s why football is a slightly toxic habit: you turn it on to “just catch the ending,” and suddenly you’re stuck in a mini-movie about hope, fatigue, character — and two goals that, honestly, had no business showing up at all.
