Gabon 1- 1 Guinea Bissau Aubameyang goal CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2017

Juary Soares scored a 91st minute equaliser as Guinea-Bissau held Gabon to a 1-1 draw in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations opener at the Stade de l'Amitié in Libreville on Saturday evening. 

The burly centre-back rising highest from a set-piece to stun the home crowd after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had opened the scoring.

Following what was a rather forgetful first-half with both teams battling to find their feet, the game sparked into life in the second, with Djurtus securing what was a deserved point in the dying exchanges of the clash. 

Malick Evouna and Zezinho saw their respective chances wide of goal in the first-half with neither goalkeeper tested in the opening 45 minutes of the tournament. 


Denis Bouanga forced Jonas Mendes into a save four minutes after the interval as the Panthers went in search of the opener - something they would succeed in doing with 52 minutes on the clock. 

Aubameyang poking home from close range following good work by Bouanga who put the ball on a silver platter for the Borussia Dortmund forward. 

The Gabon captain went close to doubling the hosts lead in the 69th minute, but he was unable to direct his volley attempt from a Mario Lemina cross on target. 

The missed chance ignited a succession of chances for Guinea-Bissau and after Toni Silva and Frédéric Mendy sent their respective efforts straight into the grateful arms of Didier Ovono - Soares struck. The towering defender guiding the ball home from a perfectly weighted free-kick as the home fans were stunned to silence. 

Gabon (0) 1 (Aubameyang 52')

Guinea-Bissau (0) 1 (Juary Soares 90+1')

Gabon: Ovono; Palun, E.Manga, Appindangoye, Obiang - Tandjingora (Poko 84'), Lemina (Kanga 73'), Ndong - Evouna (Aboué 88'), Aubameyang, Bouanga

Guinea-Bissau: Jonas; Dabo, Juary, Rudinilson, Soares - Zezinho, Santos (Aldair 75'), Nanissio, Brito - Camara (F.Mendy 66'), Mario (Piqueti 62')