AFCON 2023: Pelancras Negras of Angola completes Tuesday night upset with 2-0 victory over Stallions of Burkina Faso

In a night filled with unexpected outcomes, the Pelancras Negras of Angola secured a significant upset by defeating the Stallions of Burkina Faso with a commanding 2-0 victory in the high-stakes Group D encounter of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON). This surprising result came on the heels of the Almoralvidi of Mauritania’s remarkable triumph over AFCON favorites, the Fennecs Foxes of Algeria.

The Pelancras Negras’ playmaker, Fredy Mabululu, played a pivotal role in the upset, scoring the opening goal in the 36th minute. His contribution set the tone for Angola’s strong performance in the match.

The Stallions of Burkina Faso found themselves further behind as Athens of Greece Zini scored a stunning goal at the 90+2 minute mark, securing the Pelancras Negras’ 2-0 victory and consolidating their top position in Group D.

With this result, Angola finished atop Group D with an impressive 7 points, scoring 6 goals and conceding 3. Burkina Faso, despite the defeat, secured the second spot in the group with 4 points, scoring 3 goals and conceding 4. Remarkably, Mauritania clinched an unexpected qualification for the Round of 16, securing the third position with 3 points, scoring 3 goals, and conceding 4 with a goal deficit. Algeria, enduring one of their worst performances at AFCON, finished fourth in the group with 2 points, scoring 3 goals, and conceding 4 with a goal deficit.

Looking ahead, the Almoralvidi of Mauritania is set to face the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde at Boigny Stadium on January 29th in the Round of 16. Meanwhile, the Pharaohs of Egypt await the runners-up from Group F, Senegal is scheduled to play the third-placed team from Group A or F, Burkina Faso will meet the winner of Group E, and Angola is poised to face the third-placed team from Group E or F. The unpredictable nature of the tournament has added excitement, with unexpected teams making their mark on the prestigious AFCON stage.