THERE have been virus outbreaks in many of the 24 squads gathered in Cameroon, but it seems the African Cup of Nations, which kicked off on Sunday and culminates with the final in Yaounde on February 6, will soldier on through them. 

In an update to its tournament rules because of the virus, the Confederation of African Football has said teams must fulfil fixtures if they have at least 11 players healthy and available, even if it means they won’t have any substitutes.

Poor attendances when the host nation is not playing is a perennial problem for Afcon. This year, only people who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and can show proof of negative virus tests are allowed into the stadiums. The stringent restrictions were brought in late because of the omicron variant, meaning the crowds might be even smaller than normal.

Crowds are being capped at 60 per cent of stadium capacity for all games not involving the home team — but neither of the stadiums used for the four games on the second day of the tournament were remotely near even that lowered capacity.

GROUPS B & C: Sadio Mane converted a last-gasp stoppage-time penalty to edge favourites Senegal to a 1-0 victory over Zimbabwe in their group B opener on Monday.

The Liverpool frontman struck from 12 yards in the seventh minute of added time to finally make his side’s pressure tell at the Kouekong stadium in Bafoussam, Cameroon.

Also in group B, Issiaga Sylla fired Guinea to a 1-0 triumph over Malawi at the Kouekong, while the two group C encounters also finishing with the same scoreline. Former Southampton midfielder Sofiane Boufal’s 83rd-minute goal handed Morocco a 1-0 win over Ghana at Yaounde. Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium, while Aaron Boupendza’s strike was enough to earn Gabon the points against tournament debutants Comoros at the same venue.

GROUP A: Cameroon captain Vincent Aboubakar scored two penalties in quick succession as the host country came from behind to beat Burkina Faso 2-1 in the tournament’s opening game on Sunday at the Olembe stadium in Yaounde.

VAR — being used for all games for the first time — was  pivotal in the second group A game, in which Cape Verde beat Ethiopia 1-0, also at the Olembe. Referee Helder Martins Rodrigues de Carvalho gave Ethiopia defender Yared Bayeh a yellow card for a foul on striker Julio Tavares but changed that to red in the 12th minute after consulting VAR. Tavares headed in Cape Verde’s goal right on half time.