Late Goals Propel Gabon Past Burundi, Tightening Hold on World Cup Qualification Dreams

In the shimmering dusk at Stade de Franceville, Gabon’s World Cup aspirations surged forward with the patience of a team accustomed to late drama. The home crowd had waited, their voices rising and falling with each near-miss, until the moment the dam broke. With two goals in the final minutes—first from emerging star Bryan Meyo Ngoua in the 86th, then the veteran steadiness of Mario Lemina at the stroke of 90—Gabon seized a 2-0 victory over Burundi, tightening their grip on Group E and deepening the sense that a return to football’s grandest stage is within reach.

For much of the match, the tension on the pitch mirrored the stakes off it. Gabon entered the contest with momentum and pressure in equal supply: unbeaten in three qualification outings, including a wild 4-3 triumph away to Gambia highlighted by a four-goal masterclass from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang just four days prior. Burundi, by contrast, arrived in Franceville still searching for their first points of the campaign, their once-promising run now shadowed by three consecutive defeats marked by a stubborn inability to find the net.

And yet, for nearly ninety minutes, Burundi’s resolve belied their record. Compact and determined, the visitors frustrated Gabon’s attempts to dictate the pace. With every minute that passed and every Gabonese attack repelled, the prospect of a costly home draw began to gnaw. Aubameyang, closely marked and marshaled, found only glimpses of space; Denis Bouanga’s ventures down the flank were met by resolute defending. Burundi’s own attacking threat was sporadic, but a near miss from Saido Berahino on a rare counter in the 54th forced home fans into a hush.

But football’s script can hinge on the thinnest of margins, and the late stages belonged to Gabon’s new generation. In the 86th minute, a probing cross from winger Aaron Boupendza found Bryan Meyo Ngoua ghosting between two defenders. The 23-year-old—who has grown into a vital utility in the midfield engine room—timed his run to perfection, steering a low finish past Burundi’s sprawling goalkeeper. The explosion of noise within Stade de Franceville said as much about relief as elation: Gabon’s anxiety, at last, released.

With Burundi now stretched in desperate search of an equalizer, Gabon pounced again. In the 90th minute, a short-corner routine caught the visitors flat-footed, and Lemina, ever the metronome since his return to the national side, swept in a well-hit drive from the edge of the area. His celebration, arms wide under the setting African sun, spoke to a career that has steadied this team in moments just like these.

In victory, Gabon not only fortified their unbeaten record but also kept pace atop their qualifying group. Three wins and a draw from their opening five matches send a clear message to their continental rivals: this is a squad with both the depth to withstand adversity and the composure to strike when it matters most. Questions about overreliance on Aubameyang were temporarily quieted by the emergence of Meyo Ngoua and Lemina—two players who symbolize Gabon’s evolving identity: ambitious, balanced, and increasingly multidimensional.

For Burundi, the gulf between defensive resilience and attacking impotence remains. Consecutive losses to Kenya and Gambia had already placed their qualification campaign on life support; tonight’s defeat, yet again without a goal to show for their endeavor, leaves them anchored at the bottom of the group. Their record now reads four matches, four defeats, zero goals—a sobering reminder of the unforgiving nature of World Cup qualification in Africa, where margins are narrow and opportunities fleeting.

This fixture, historically, has offered Burundi little joy; Gabon have dominated recent meetings, adding further weight to tonight’s outcome. With every passing match, the window for Burundi to alter their trajectory narrows. Coach Jimmy Ndayizeye’s side must now regroup, seeking both goals and points with an urgency that has so far eluded them.

As the October air cooled and Franceville’s stands emptied, the meaning of this night was unmissable. Gabon march on, their path to 2026 not paved but cleared by resolve, patience, and a knack for seizing the moment. Burundi, in the meantime, are left to ponder what might have been—and whether, with the campaign’s midpoint approaching, any answers still lie ahead. The stakes only mount from here. For Gabon, each result is another stride toward the footballing summit; for Burundi, time is fast running out.