The faithful flocked in their thousands to cheer the disappointed heros again. And just over two hours after kick-off, they departed joyuously into the night. Cameroon, 3-0 down with 18 minutes remaining, had come back to draw level and beat Burkina Faso in a pênalty shoot-out.
Two first-half goals for Burkina Faso set up the third place play-off for a grandstand 45 minutes at the Stade Ahamadou Ahidjo.
On came the tournament's top scorer Vincent Aboubakar to loud approval as a replacement for Samuel Gouet.
Nicolas Ngamaleu entered the fray instead of Ignatius Ganago. The third goal of the evening came soon after. But not at the right end for the locals.
The ball was floated to Burkina Faso skipper Bertrand Traore out on the right wing. His cross went over Harold Desty-Makoudi and was met by the head of Djibril Ouattara who had nipped in front of Olivier Mbaizo. Goalkeeper André Onana had no chance
Blunder
Just before half-time, Onana was the architect of his own misfortune. Issa Kaboré raced after a ball running out for a goal kick down the right but he managed to wrap his right foot around it and centre. The ball clattered into Onana's chest and into the net.
Intially referee Redouane Jiyed signalled for a goal kick. But his video assistants corrected him. And it was 2-0. The slapstick contrasted sharply with Steeve Yago's classy finish for Burkina Faso's opener in the 24th minute.
Stephane Bahoken stabbed home in the 72nd minute to ignite hopes of a comeback. And when Aboubakar got his seventh of the tournament in the 85th minute the crowd was inflamed.
The skipper's equaliser two minutes later sent them incandescent.
All that was left was redemption and Onana stepped into the vacancy during the shoot-out by saving low to his left from Ibrahim Touré's kick.
Ambroise Bitolo, who started the evening as captain in the absence of Aboubakar, fittingly thrashed home the decisive penalty.
Two days after defeat to Egypt in the same manner, Cameroon had claimed a modicum of consolation.
