Burkina Faso boss Brama Traore oversaw a series of fine results heading into AFCON, and would have been quietly confident that his side had an outside chance of challenging for a first-ever title.
They came into this clash sitting 35 places above the National Thunder in FIFA rankings, and were keen to assert their dominance here, with early chances falling to Bertrand Traore and Issoufou Dayo.
Nonetheless, Juan Micha’s side remained resolute without creating much going forward themselves. Their only chances of note came when Luis Asue blazed his effort over the bar, before Jose Machin also failed to find the target from distance.
Dango Ouattara then spurned a golden opportunity to fire Burkina Faso in front after being given far too much space on the left, but Pablo Ganet made a superb sliding tackle to thwart Brentford’s record signing.
It epitomised a first half lacking in attacking quality, with neither side mustering a shot on target between them heading into half-time.
Equatorial Guinea were reduced to 10 men just five minutes after the restart when the intervention of VAR upgraded Basilio Ndong’s punishment to a straight red card after a studs-up challenge on Bertran Traore’s right ankle. It was the first sending off at this year’s AFCON, prompting Miche to reshuffle his pack and opt for more defensive conservatism with the introduction of Charles Ondo for Asue.
Eager to make their one-man advantage count, Gustavo Sangare played through Ouattara, who fired his effort straight at Jesus Owono, shortly before Pierre Landry Kabore headed wide from Arsene Kouassi's enticing delivery.
Lassina Traore thought he had given Burkina Faso a long-awaited breakthrough within a minute of coming on from the bench after converting with a volley from Ouattara’s header across the box, but a lengthy VAR review ultimately ruled out the strike for offside.
However, Equatorial Guinea broke the deadlock with 85 minutes on the clock when Marvin Anieboh manoeuvered his body brilliantly to power home a header from Carlos Akapo’s corner.
That looked to have sealed a remarkable victory for Micha’s team, but Georgi Minoungou rifled home a clinical strike to draw level deep into stoppage time.
Remarkably, Burkina Faso then turned the game on its head in the 98th minute when Edmond Tapsoba was on hand to head home from inside the box, sparking wild scenes of celebration in Casablanca.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Dango Ouattara (Burkina Faso)