AfCON 2012: Pitroipa also defeated

Just like his club team-mate Kader Mangane, Jonathan Pitroipa started the 2012 African Cup of Nations on a low. The Rennes winger and his national team, Burkina Faso, were defeated by Angola (1-2) and have already compromised their chances to appear in the quarter-finals.

In the starting XI, Pitroipa played the whole game. Very active, he couldn’t find a way past the Angola defence. After a goalless first half, it was Angola who scored first through a goal by Mateus (48’). The “Stallions” from Burkina equalised on a direct free-kick by Auxerre’s Alain Traoré (57’), but Angola restored their lead eleven minutes later by Manucho (68’).

This initial defeat is already compromising the chances for Burkina Faso to qualify. In the other game, Ivory Coast has logically beaten Sudan (1-0), and will be Burkina’s next opponents. In case Pitroipa and his team-mates were defeated by the Ivorians next Thursday, they would probably be out of the competition already.