When Burkina Faso beat Equatorial Guinea 2-1 in the very dying minutes of stoppage time at the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), there was delirium among the Burkinabe. One of the standout players, Georgi Minoungou, played a crucial role in securing this victory.
Their clash was destined to end in disappointment. Despite dominating possession and playing against 10 men for much of the second half, the Stallions nearly failed to get all three points.
Marvin Anieboh put Equatorial Guinea ahead in the 85th minute. However, Georgi Minoungou,restored parity in the fifth minute of stoppage time. Edmond Tabsoba would give them the winner three minutes later.
Burkina Faso are now preparing to take on Algeria in their second match of the tournament.
Amidst the euphoria, Minoungou’s joy will be two-fold. Having etched his name into the history books by scoring a goal, perhaps that would never have been possible two years ago.
Doctors once told him he would never play football again in 2023. That year, Minoungou suffered a serious eye infection that led to emergency surgery.
That operation effectively ended up making him mono-eyed. Any hopes of making it in football were in the gutter.
Rather than give up, the winger refused to quit. The infection struck during a training camp with Seattle Sounders, but upon recovering, he asked to continue training.
“If I’m good enough, I will continue, if not, I stop,” he declared as quoted on KOHA.net
“Sometimes I don’t see the defender—I feel him,” he said about his unique approach to the sport. (KOHA.net)
Since then, the 23-year old has gone on to be come a key part of Seattle Sounders, having made 47 league appearances for the side.
Having played for Ivory Coast at youth level, he has made eight appearances for Burkina Faso, scoring three times.
At club level, he is valued for his ability to take on defenders, his pace down the flank and his creative attacking instincts.
