Back for more...published at 15:50 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2015
Summary
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
Back for more...published at 15:50 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2015
Team newspublished at 15:48 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2015
Congo are under the stewardship of Claude Le Roy, coaching at his eighth Africa Cup of Nations.
Let's just say the old soldier wasn't exactly thrilled when he discovering upon arrival in Guinea that five of his party did not have hotel rooms...
Congo: Henri Maffoumbi, Francis Nganga, Boris Moubhio, Arnold Bouka Moutou, Prince Oniangue, Delvin Ndinga, Dore Ferebory, Thievy Bifouma, Cesair Gandze, Marvin Baudry, Sagesse Babele.
GET INVOLVEDpublished at 15:47 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2015
Noorhiya Jenala:, external I believe E Guinea have done their best in 57 days to stage an incredible opening ceremony!
Tweet us your views on the tournament to #bbcafcon2015. Who will win? Which players will star?
Who is Emilio Nsue?published at 15:45 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2015
Image source, Getty ImagesThe 25-year-old usually plays at the back for Middlesbrough and turned out in midfield when with Real Mallorca and Real Sociedad in Spain. But this afternoon the Spanish-born Nsue is expected to play in attack.
After rejecting their advances for several seasons, he scored on his debut for Guinea in an unofficial friendly with Benin on in March 2013, then added a hat-trick in his second game - a 4-3 World Cup qualification win over Cape Verde.
However, he was later deemed ineligible by Fifa, who awarded a 3-0 win to Cape Verde.
Ready to go on BBC World Servicepublished at 15:44 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2015
Image source, @amuthengiSteve Crossman and Nick Cavell of BBC World Service are ready to go in Bata. You can listen to them now as they are joined by former Charlton striker Shaun Bartlett and ex-Fulham defender John Pantsil.
Team newspublished at 15:42 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2015
The hosts have named their XI first and the main news is that Emilio Nsue of Middlesbrough will captain the side, with predecessor Juvenal Adjogo on the bench.
Equatorial Guinea: Felipe Ovono, Diosdado Mbele, Ivan Zarandona, Pablo Comitro, Randy, Rui Gomez, Emilio Nsue, Javier Balboa, Kike, Ivan Salvador, Sipo.
A new face rushed inpublished at 15:42 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2015
Equatorial Guinea manager Esteban Becker was appointed less than three weeks before the start of the tournament.
Image source, APHe tasted success in the African Women's Championship with Equatorial Guinea back in 2012.
Toure injury doubt?published at 15:38 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2015
Image source, Getty ImagesA potential scare for Ivory Coast ahead of their opening match on Tuesday against hosts Guinea as Yaya Toure missed training on Saturday.
The Manchester City midfielder - who won a record-equaling fourth African player of the year award this year - spent the session stretching on his own on the sidelines.
Postpublished at 15:34 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2015
As the opening game edges closer, why not brush up on your Africa Cup of Nations knowledge with these three BBC Sport treats?
All you need to know about the 2015 tournament.
Asamoah Gyan of Ghana explaining why "every time I go on to the field now it is between me and my critics".
Thanks for stepping inpublished at 15:33 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2015
Image source, Getty ImagesFikile Mbalula, the South African minister for sport, tweets:, external "Equatorial Guinea must be applauded. When others gave in with fears of Ebola, they stood up. They have our back as Africans."
Equatorial Guinea stepped in to host the tournament late in 2014 after Morocco pulled out due to fears over the spread of the Ebola Virus.
Crowds may not come - rubbishpublished at 15:31 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2015
BBC football reporter Steve Crossman from Estadio de Bata BBC World Service: "It is absolutely incredible here. At any other game anywhere in the world with 35 minutes until kick-off you wouldn't expect it to be full. It is here.
"The opening ceremony was fantastic and now they have a job on here to clear the pitch, it's full of banners and decorations.
"The big question was would the crowds turn out, well it is jam packed here."
The (small) Stadiapublished at 15:27 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2015
The venue for the opening two matches of this year's tournament is Estadio de Bata and by AFCON standards, with a capacity of 37,500 it is a big one.
Image source, BARRY ALDWORTH / BACKPAGEThe three other venues hold far fewer spectators:
Malabo - Nuevo Estadio de Malabo - (15,250)
Mongomo - Estadio de Mongomo (10,000)
Ebebiyin - Nuevo Estadio de Ebebiyín (5,000)
GET INVOLVEDpublished at 15:25 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2015
Right then, this tournament has taken star names from the Premier League and other top European countries, so it's fair to say it's a big deal.
But we cannot run live texts here without your views on matters. So tweet us with your views on the tournament. Who will star? Who will win it? Any unknown players who will shine?
We are on #bbcafcon2015 and you can comment on our Facebook page., external
How does this work?published at 15:24 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2015
There are four groups containing four teams each.
As you probably guessed teams in a group each play one another and the top two go through to the quarter-final stage. Should two sided be tied on points, they will be split by their head-to-head record.
Who looks familiar?published at 15:22 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2015
South Africa to upset the odds?published at 15:20 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2015
Former Charlton and South Africa striker Shaun Bartlett on BBC World Service: "I think one of six teams can win this tournament. Nigeria are the big omissions. They were in South Africa's group and South Africa are going into this as tournament as underdogs which I probably prefer."
GET INVOLVEDpublished at 15:18 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2015
But forget bookmakers' odds, who do you think will win it?
Let us know and vote by clicking on a team at the top-right of this screen.
Who can win it?published at 15:14 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2015
This scene will not be happening again.
Nigeria has the biggest population of any African country - 185 million - according to recent estimates but they made a right pig's ear of qualifying and will not be here to defend the title they won two years ago.
Image source, Getty ImagesBurkina Faso - boasting a number of players from Ligue 1 and La Liga - lost in the final in 2013 and are back for more. They kick-off at 19:00 GMT against Gabon.
Favourites Ivory Coast - with players such as Yaya Toure, Gervinho and Wilfried Bony - are favourites, with Algeria - so impressive at the 2014 World Cup, close up behind them.
The Desert Warriors have a killer group though and they will meet the third-favourites for the tournament - Ghana - in qualifying.
Opening ceremonypublished at 15:12 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2015
Image source, Getty ImagesNick Cavell from BBC World Service is in the stadium for the opening ceremony and has managed to pick the Senegalese/American singer Akon from the throng of singers and dancers parading around the pitch. Nope, me neither...
He adds: "Better news is that the flags of the 16 nations have arrived in the stadium, delivered by men on online skates. Not all of them look that steady, it has to be said, but they have managed to complete a circuit and roll back out of view without anybody falling over.
"Now we have two acrobats suspended under two giant bunches of balloons."
Where to start with the hosts?published at 15:09 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2015
So the hosts. Where to begin?
They have one win in nine matches. Their manager has been appointed in the last three weeks and get this...they were eliminated from qualifying for fielding an ineligible player.
Stepping in as hosts got them back in the tournament and hats off to the country's president who bought 40,000 tickets to hand out to the public so they can attend matches.
An uphill battle for the team looks likely but their fans are bang up for it. They could not get through the gates quick enough today.
Image source, Getty Images