Congo boosted their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations by beating the more fancied Gabon 1-0 to throw Group A wide open on Wednesday.

Victory left Congo top on four points from two games, one more than Gabon and two ahead of the hosts, Equatorial Guinea, who were held to a 0-0 draw by Burkina Faso in the afternoon fixture.

Prince Oniangue, the Congo captain, scored an opportunist 48th-minute winner to put his team within touching distance of the knockout stages, a scenario that looked impossible after they were beaten by Rwanda over two legs in the preliminary qualifying rounds. Congo were reinstated into the competition after their opponents were found to have included an ineligible player.

Congo drew 1-1 with Equatorial Guinea in their opening game, while Gabon beat Burkina Faso 2-0.