Burkina Faso have kept their chances of reaching the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations alive with a goalless draw against Equatorial Guinea.
Alain Traore hit the post twice in the first half as the 2013 runners-up tried to find their first win of this year's tournament.
Emilio Nsue and Kike came close for the host nation after the break, but they could not find the back of the net.
Read how all the action unfolded below:
Good afternoon! Equatorial Guinea and Burkina Faso will both be looking for their first win of the competition this afternoon. Let's start with a look at the team news.
EQUATORIAL GUINEA STARTING XI: Ovono, Randy, Mbele, Rui, Sipo, Zarandona, Douala, Kike, Nsue, Balboa, Salvador
BURKINA FASO STARTING XI: Sanou, Koffi, Yago, Bacary Kone, Djakaridja Kone, Bertrand Traore, Gouo, Kabore, Pitroipa, Bance, Abdou Traore
Equatorial Guinea captain Emilio Nsue will surely be the one to watch from the host nation again this afternoon. The Middlesbrough player tends to play a wingback role with the Championship side, but he's a striker for his national side, and scored the opening goal of the tournament in their 1-1 draw with Congo at the weekend.
Burkina Faso midfielder Jonathan Pitroipa was named the player of the tournament in 2013, but had little impact in their 2-0 defeat to Gabon. HJK striker Aristide Bance, and his distinctive hairdo, will be a threat up front as well for the beaten finalists from the last holding of this competition.
Despite Burkina Faso losing their opening match of the tournament, captain Charles Kabore insists that they are not out of the running yet: "This competition is not yet over for us. Were we to win against the host nation, then everything will be back on track for us."
While a win would boost Burkina Faso's hopes this afternoon, defeat would eliminate them from the tournament. Their opponents will have to fancy their chances of progressing from the group stage though, as the last 12 host nations have made it through to the knockout stage.
The teams are making their way out ready for kickoff. The national anthem for both sides will be played before kickoff, while both squads will also come together for a photo in aid of the fight against Ebola.
This match is being held in the Estadio de Bata, which is the largest facility hosting games in this year's tournament, with a capacity of around 37,500. It was practically full for Equatorial Guinea's opening match on Saturday, and while not quite full today, there's still a good sized crowd in for the host nation.
PREDICTION! With the pre-match formalities out of the way, there's just time for a quick prediction. Burkina Faso got off to a poor start, but they have a similar quality squad to that which reached the final two years ago, so I think they could edge a 2-1 win this afternoon.
The other two sides in this group, Congo and Gabon, also play this evening. They kickoff at 7pm, with build up live with Sports Mole from 6.30pm.
KICKOFF! Burkina Faso get the match underway.
Burkina Faso try to get forward straight away, with Bakary Kone trying a long ball downfield for Aristide Bance, but the striker can't quite reach it in time to get a shot away.
Pitroipa is involved for the first time as he attempts to run through the midfielder, but he's crowded out by the Equatorial Guinea defenders. Bertrand Traore quickly tries to win it back for the 2013 runners-up, but he drifts offside on a run at the Equatorial Guinea area.
Equatorial Guinea try to put their opponents under pressure for the first time as Emilio Nsue finds his way into the box and rounds Steeve Yago, but the defender recovers to get the ball away.
Bakary Kone picks out Bance on the right flank with a superb ball forward. The striker looks for Pitroipa, but his cross is just behind the winger.
CHANCE! Pitroipa is given far to much space on the edge of the box as he collects the ball from an Alain Traore ball over the top. He slips on the turn though, giving Mbele time to get back and clear.
After a bright start to the match for Burkina Faso, the host nation have just started to show a little more intent going froward. Edu tries to supply a cross for Nsue, but the delivery is blocked, and Equatoria Guinea fail to make the most of the resulting throw in.
Alain Traore tries to set something up down the other end for Burkina Faso, but his cross in towards Pitroipa is a poor one, as it goes straight behind for a goal kick.
CHANCE! Traore picks out Pitroipa with a well timed cross, but his shot is straight at Felipe Ovono in the Equatorial Guinea goal. The referee calls the play back though, as Traore was tripped as he supplied the through-ball, so Burkina Faso have a free kick in a dangerous position.
OFF THE POST! Alain Traore whips is around the edge of the wall directly from the free kick, but Ovono gets his fingertips to it to direct it onto the post and away.
BOOKING! Issa Gouo is the first player to be shown a yellow card, and it's a little bit harsh on the Burkina Faso player as he accidentally handled the ball while losing his footing. Equatorial Guinea fail to make the most of the free kick though.
Alain Traore is involved again as he tries to find Bance, but the striker is being too closely marked by Randy, and Balboa eventually clears the danger for the host nation, who are quickly on the counter.
The hosts win a free kick in a promising position, Balboa lines it up, but it strikes the wall. However, they'll have another free kick as Germain Sanou appeared to handle the ball outside the box, although the replays suggest it might have been on the line.
Sanou makes sure that the free kick does not cost his side though as he punches Balboa's free kick well clear.
BOOKING! Diosdado Mbele charges into Jonathan Pitroipa as the Burkina Faso playmaker was charging towards the box, earning himself a yellow card. He may have been lucky to escape with the yellow, as the tackle completely upended the winger, leaving him clutching his shoulder in pain.
It's all getting a little bit scrappy as Charles Kabore is brought down by Randy, but once again Burkina Faso can't create anything from the resulting set piece.
CHANCE! After the initial free kick was blocked though, the ball is quickly played back in for Bance, but his strike is palmed behind by Ovono. That's the first time either goalkeeper has really been tested.
CHANCE! Equatorial Guinea immediately try to make Burkina Faso pay for their miss as Nsue burst into the box, but Sanou blocks his attempt at slicing the ball in from a tight angle.
Pitroipa shows off some impressive footwork to beat a couple of defenders while trying to cut inside from the left, but Rui eventually dispossesses the Burkina Faso winger.
OFF THE POST! For the second time in this half, Alain Traore hits the post! Moments after Pitroipa failed to reach a ball in from the midfielder, Traore bursts back in and strikes the ball well, but is bounces back off the left upright.
CHANCE! Burkina Faso are really pushing at the minute as Traore and Bance are back on the attack, but the latter is denied by Ovono after trying to pick out the roof of the net from the edge of the box.
CHANCES! Burkina Faso are peppering the Equatorial Guinea goal at the minute as Bertrand Traore lashes the ball towards goal first time, but Ovono manages to keep hold. Burkina Faso have a corner a few moments later, but Yago's header is also kept out by the keeper.
CHANCE! Viera Ellong get the ball on the counter-attack and picks out Nsue with a well-timed cross, but the Middlesbrough man is denied by a Kone block.
Balboa plays the ball forward trying to give Equatorial Guinea a chance just before the break, but two of his teammates are offside, so the referee raises his flag. That should be about it for the first half.
HALF TIME: Equatorial Guinea 0-0 Burkina Faso
So at the end of the first half, neither side have broken the deadlock. Alain Traore has had the best of the chances, striking the post twice for Burkina Faso.
Burkina Faso didn't actually have that much more time on the ball than their opponents with 52% of the possession. However, they had twice as many shots, with eight compared to Equatorial Guinea's four. The 2013 runners-up have also had three shots on target, while Germain Sanou has had just once save to make down the other end.
Two players were booked in the first half, including Diosafdo Mbele. As he was also booked in Equatorial Guinea's opening match, he'll miss their final group game against Gabon next week.
The players are starting to make their way back out ready for the second half.
KICKOFF! Equatorial Guinea get the action back underway.
CHANCE! Equatorial Guinea get numbers forward early on as Nsue crosses the ball in for Kike. It's Balbao who gets the final touch though, but he slices it well high of the crossbar.
CHANCE! Koffi makes a run for Burkina Faso, curling it across to Bance, who in turn heads it on for Pitroipa, who just needs the slightest of touches to open the scoring, but he couldn't reach it.
CHANCE! On the counter-attack, Nsue tries to put Sanou under pressure, spotting the Burkina Faso keeper off his line, but the striker's first touch is poor, allowing the keeper to gather it on the edge of the area.
CHANCE! Balboa makes a superb run towards the Burkina Faso goal on the counter-attack, and he's got Viera Ellong up with him. He pulls it back inside for the winger, but he slices his shot well high, wasting a promising chance for the host nation.
Rui tries to set up Nsue as Equatorial Guinea try to get involved down the other end, but the captain is caught offside, not for the first time this afternoon. He needs focus on timing his run better, as offsides were a problem in the first match too.
CHANCE! The host nation win a corner, and Nsue has a chance to either head it in or nod it towards a cluster of red shirts waiting in the middle.
CHANCE! Equatorial Guinea are enjoying one of their best spells of the match so far at the minute, and force another save from Sanou as Kike tries to rifle the ball home from just inside the box.
CHANCE! This is turning int a really open match as Burkina Faso get back down the other end. Aristide Bance unleashes a strike from the edge of the box, but it's beaten away by Ovono, who has made some decent saves in the Equatorial Guinea goal this afternoon.
There's a brief stoppage in play as Gouo's hand accidentally gets stood on while he's defending again a Zarandona run, but he's alright after a brief check over by the physio.
SUB! Equatorial Guinea make the first change of the match, taking off Iban Edu for Juvenal.
Kike races from one end of the pitch to the other to receive a superb ball forward from Balboa. He has Nsue forward with him, but takes the shot on himself, and is well wide of the target.
The host nation have a corner, which Nsue picks up after a deep Kike delivery, but he mis-times his ball back in, firing behind for a goal kick.
CHANCE! Pitroipa continues to look lively for Burkina Faso, but he's missing the finishing touch yet again as he carves out some space in the box, but then blasts the ball wide.
CHANCE! Burkina Faso are starting to dominate again like they did at the end of the first have as Bance gets the better of Mbele before pulling the ball back for Alain Traore, but his low, driven finish is a fraction wide.
Sanou comes out for a sweeper keeper move for Burkina Faso, but he fails to clear the ball. Ellong gets back to help him out though, allowing the keeper to get back before anyone can get a shot away.
SUB! Burkina Faso make a chance, and rather surprisingly it's Jonathan Pitroipa making way for Prejuce Nakoulma.
SUB! The host nation make a change too as Evan Bolado comes on for Kike.
SUB! And another change, they're coming thick and fast now! It's another surprise one as Javier Balbao, who has been excellent for Equatorial Guinea today, is replaced by 6 foot 6 striker Raul Fabiani.
There's a concern now for Equatorial Guinea, who have just made their final change. Ellong goes down with a bout of what appears to be cramp, but he'll have to work through it as they can't make another change.
CHANCE! Equatorial Guinea have a corner, and naturally they target the statuesque Fabiani, but Sanou just about outreaches the striker to punch it clear.
Burkina Faso are living a little dangerously at the back as Nsue crosses the ball in, but it's intercepted by Koffi. However, the defender misses his initial clearance, eventually scrambling it clear.
There will be three minutes of stoppage time for these two teams to try and find a winner, but they'll have to wait for Ellong to work out some cramp first, as he's one the ground in pain again.
FULL TIME: Equatorial Guinea 0-0 Burkina Faso
Well no goals this afternoon, but the draw keeps both sides in contention for a place in the knockout stage. Alain Traore had the best chances in the first half, but the host nation could have won it after the break.
Well that's all from this match, but join us again from 6.30pm as we'll be building up to the second match up Group A, which sees Gabon take on Congo. Until then, thanks for joining me this evening, goodbye.
Written by
Sian Cowper
Sian Cowper
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