Hull City striker Daniel Cousin stunned the Indomitable Lions with a 17th-minute goal to give Gabon an unexpected win in Group D opener.

No team qualified for this year's World Cup finals managed to claim an opening win in the biennial tournament.

Algeria suffered a crushing 3-0 defeat to Malawi, Nigeria threw away their lead to lose 3-1 to Egypt, Ivory Coast were held to a goalless draw by Burkina Faso and Cameroon lost against Gabon.

Ghana, who also reached the World Cup, were due to face Togo last Monday but their opponents pulled out of the tournament after gunmen attacked their bus to kill two delegation members.

Surprising Goal

Achille Emana, who was playing in a three-pronged attack that also included Samuel Eto'o and Pierre Webo, spurned an early chance to put Cameroon in front.

He superbly eluded his challenger to thump a low shot against the post.

Cameroon were stunned after 17 minutes when a defensive lapse allowed Cousin to beat keeper Carlos Kameni from inside the area.

He nipped in between two defenders to collect a pass from Roguy Meye and fire past the Espanyol guardian.

Cameroon pressed forward but hardly created clear-cut chances, with Inter Milan striker Eto'o failing to shine on a disappointing night for the four-time African champions.

They came closest to grabbing the equalizer on 60 minutes when a quickly-taken free-kick caught Gabon's defense napping and released Emana, who fired wide with the goal at his mercy

Gabon, whose best achievement in the Nations Cup was reaching the quarter final in 1996, held on for a memorable win.