Pulse Recap: Cape Verde keeps AFCON2021 hope alive; Cameroon, Burkina Faso qualify

Africa Cup of Nations host Cameroon finished their group matches with a stalemate following a 1-1 draw with Cape Verde on Monday in Yaounde.

Vincent Aboubakar was on target once again for the Indomitable Lions as he opened the scoring six minutes before the break to give the home side a 1-0 lead.

The goal was Aboubakar's fifth of the 33rd Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON 2021, a wonderful left-footed strike that found the bottom left corner from just inside the box.

Not to he outdid on the day, Garry Rodrigues equalised for the Blue Sharks with another beautiful effort after he met a Kenny Rocha Santos' cut back, six minutes into the second half.

It was the only shot of the second half from Cape Verde, one that could prove decisive in the end as the Sharks look to pick one of four spots reserved for the best third-placed teams.

Cameroon finishes as group winners with seven points, while Cape Verde is third on four points.

The Stallions of Burkina Faso are also through to the round of 16 from Group A after a 1-1 draw with Ethiopia in the other group's game.

Burkina Faso survived a scare from Walya Antelopes, who needed a win to keep alive their AFCON 2021 hope.

Ethiopia started the hungrier of the two and came close to the opener as early as the 10th minute but Getaneh Kebede' a effort brought out a superb save from the Burkina Babe goalkeeper, Sofiane Ouedraogo.

Against the run of play, Burkina Faso survived Ethiopia's dominance in the first half to take the lead when Cyrille Bayala put them ahead in the 24th minute with an audacious lofted attempt.

In the second half, Ethiopia finally found the breakthrough its performance deserved when the brilliant Kebede equalised for the Walya from the spot seven minutes after the break.

It ended that way as both teams shared the spoils, a result that effectively ended Ethiopia's AFCON 2021 journey.

They finished bottom of the group with just a point from a possible nine, while Burkina Faso joins Cameroon in the round of 16 after finishing second with four points.