Aubameyang opens scoring for Gabon
Malick Evouna heads in to double lead
Burkina Faso were runners-up in 2013
FT: Equatorial Guinea 1-1 Congo
Nsue for hosts but Bifouma levels
Image source, AFPThe teams are back out on the pitch here at the Estadio de Bata. How there are enough changing rooms to house four teams here is beyond me.
Burkina Faso sing their national anthem with pride and not it's the turn of Gabon. The country's flag is passed around supporters while their 11 players - in bright yellow shirts - stand with their hands on their hearts.
Burkina Faso: Sanou, Yago, Kone, Koffi, Kone, Pitroipa, Bambara, Kabore, Traore, Zongo, Traore.
Gabon: Ovono, Palun, Musavu-King, Ecuele Manga, Obiang, Biyogo Poko, Madinda, Ndong, Bulot, Aubameyang, Evouna.
Don't think Aubameyang is the only man with goalscoring pedigree here though. As I will explain next...
And he is in the starting line-up, which we will have for you next...
As we told you earlier, only four teams at this tournament made it to the 2014 Brazil World Cup.
Spare a thought for the side we will see next though Burkina Faso, who struck the post in the last minute of their play-off with Algeria knowing a goal would have sent them to south America.
Image source, Getty ImagesSteve Crossman
BBC Sport in Bata
Image source, Steve Crossman"Great thrill to commentate live on #AFCON2015. Best way to celebrate is...watch another game."
John Bennett of BBC World Service tweets:, external "Now for the main course of #AFCON2015 opening day; Gabon v Burkina Faso. Aubameyang v Pitroipa. The 2 sides likely to progress to the QFs. Nine of the Burkina Faso players who started the 2013 AFCON final are in the #BurkinaFaso squad in Equatorial Guinea."
- Congo are without a win in 13 Afcon matches (D6 L7); a run that stretches back to 1974.
- Only one team in the history of the competition has gone longer without registering a victory (Burkina Faso 18 (1998-2013)).
- Congo have won five and drawn one of their seven previous internationals against Equatorial Guinea (L1).
We have been asking you to get in touch with your tips for the tournament. Tweet us on #bbcafcon2015 or comment on our BBC Sport Facebook page, external like these guys have.
Image source, Getty ImagesHurzul Solomons:, external South-Africa will surely win the Afcon Cup Of Nations:) #GoBafanaBafana!!!!
Standley Molua:, external The new breed, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon,headed by Stephan MBIA, as team Captain, with Clinton NJIE & others will definitely bring home the trophy, CAN 2015.
Some stats for you....
- Equatorial Guinea's Emilio Nsue scored his first goal for club or country this season. The former Mallorca striker has played 1027 minutes without netting for club side Middlesbrough this term but needed just 16 minutes to open his AFCON 2015 account.
- The host nation (including joint-host) has not lost their opening AFCON game since 1998, when Burkina Faso were beaten 1-0 by Cameroon (W6 D5 since then).
So there we have it then, a draw in the opener.
What did you make of it? Tweet us on #bbcafcon2015.
This may be a bit like Match of the Day on the opening night of a season, but if nothing else, it signifies we have a match played at AFCON 2105 - something which looked unlikely when the tournament was thrown into jeopardy late in 2014.
Replays of Dominique Malonga's late chance to win it for Congo underline just how good an opening it was.
It's the kind of chance you dream of. A ball fizzed back from the dead-ball line, six yards out, you're running onto it, the chance to make a name for yourself...he gets little connection and it's gone.
Either side of the goalkeeper and it may have trickled home but the Equatorial stopper can fall on it and breathe a huge sigh of relief. As can his country.
Image source, Getty ImagesNick Cavell on BBC World Service: "On reflection, a fair result of an exciting opening match at the tournament - no signs of two cagey sides testing each other out and approaching the game wanting not to lose.
"Equatorial Guinea pushed and pressed the Congo players at every opportunity and the hosts also went looking for a second goal as well. But Congo never gave up and eventually equalised from one of those moments when they controlled the ball and passed well."
That sparked into life didn't it?
Emilio Nsue's first-half opener looked to be enough for a long period but Equatorial tired badly late on. They were leggy and under pressure which eventually told.
A Thievy Bifouma goal means Congo earn a point. Both sides can now preach that old classic line at tournament football: "You don't want to lose your first game."
Dominique Malonga swings in a delivery from wide and out rushes Equatorial keeper Felipe Ovono to palm it away from forwards. Good goalkeeping but the loose ball fortunately falls to a defender.
Just two minutes of the three added to go. A draw here will probably be about right but Congo have dominated this second period.
In a reverse of the goal, Thievy Bifouma finds space on the dead-ball line and cuts a delivery back for Dominique Malonga...he must score...six yards..centre of the goal...duffs his effort straight at the goalkeeper.
Image source, APNick Cavell on BBC World Service: "The atmosphere has changed it's much quieter here in Bata and the crowd are jeering when Congo make a mistake."
Don't know if I'd fancy being one of those punters standing on the stairs...