YAOUNDE — Aaron Boupendza’s strike from a narrow angle sealed a dull 1-0 win for Gabon over Africa Cup of Nations debutants Comoros Islands in their opening Group C clash on Monday.

Gabon, which was missing talisman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and influential midfielder Mario Lemina due to COVID-19 infections, never looked troubled and scored from one of only a few shots on target at the Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo.

Ah, the glory of international tournaments. Instead of a crushing start to the week, Monday gave us the simple pleasure of coffee and watching Senegal — one of the clear favorites in Cameroon — begin its Africa Cup of Nations campaign against underdog Zimbabwe.

The 2021 Africa Cup of Nations began Sunday with the host nation Cameroon welcoming Burkina Faso to Olembe Stadium in Yaoundé, which will also be the site of the final on Feb. 6. 

There was but one major global international soccer tournament in 2021. For some reason, the coach who inspired an underdog victory in that competition wasn’t deemed worthy by FIFA to even be a finalist for the organization’s FIFA Best Coach of 2021 award. Not that we’re the least bit surprised; we’ve long learned to expect the worst from FIFA.

DOUALA - Largely empty stadiums could become a feature of this month's Africa Cup of Nations, which kicks off on Sunday, due mainly to Cameroon's paltry COVID-19 vaccination rate.

The host nation last month made full vaccination and a negative coronavirus test compulsory for spectators at Africa's premier soccer tournament.

With skepticism about the vaccines' safety and importance widespread, the country's inoculation levels are extremely low — though the lure of live soccer has convinced some fans to set their misgivings aside.

YAOUNDE - Gabon captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival in Cameroon on Thursday, threatening his participation at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Aubemayang and teammate Mario Lemina returned positive results when tested on arrival at Yaounde’s airport, along with assistant coach Anicet Yala, the Gabon Football Federation said in a statement.

Carlos Cordeiro, the former U.S. Soccer Federation president who resigned in disgrace after overseeing some of the most deplorable arguments the USSF has ever put forward in a lawsuit, wants his old job back. Megan Rapinoe, for one, has made her opinion known on the matter.