Host Cameroon achieved a remarkable comeback by overturning a 0-3 deficit to draw 3-3 and then win 5-4 on penalties, securing third place in the 33rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in the capital Yaoundé during the playoff match. Burkina Faso initially led with three goals from Steve Yago (24), goalkeeper André Onana (43, own goal), and Gibril Ouattara (49). Cameroon responded with three goals from Stéphane Bahoken (71) and Vincent Aboubakar (85, 87), forcing a penalty shootout, which they won after Onana redeemed himself by saving Ibrahim Blati Touré's penalty.
Cameroon repeated its achievement from 1972 when it finished third by beating Zaire 5-2, securing the playoff win for the second time in its history. Cameroon, which had its dream of reaching the final and securing its sixth title dashed in the semifinals by Egypt on penalties, celebrated a morale-boosting victory ahead of its two crucial matches against Algeria at the end of March in the playoff qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Meanwhile, Burkina Faso failed to avenge its earlier 1-2 loss to Cameroon in the tournament's opening match and finished fourth for the second time in its history after first doing so at home in 1998, when it lost to the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-4 on penalties following a 4-4 draw.
