Cape Verde defeated Ethiopia 1-0 in the second game of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations at the Stade Omnisport Paul Biya, Olembé, Cameroon on Sunday.

Ethiopia suffered a setback early in the game after Yared Bayeh Belay was sent-off for a tackle on Júlio Tavares after just 12 minutes.

He was initially given a yellow card for the tackle but after a VAR check by the referee, the card was reversed with a red card.

Teklemariam Shanko kept the Ethiopians in the game by preventing an own goal as Cape Verde piled the pressure on their opponents.

The one-man advantage would finally pay off in the closing minute of the first half when Garry Rodrigues’ perfect cross met a powerful header from Tavares.

Tavares’s goal is Cape Verde’s first goal in the continental tournament since Heldon Ramos’s strike against Tunisia in 2015.

Cape Verde are second behind Group A leaders Cameroon after the hosts defeated Burkina Faso 2-1 in the opening game of the tournament earlier on Sunday.

Ethiopia will face Cameroon in their second Group A match while Cape Verde will slug it out with Burkina Faso on Thursday, January 13.