OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (Interstat) — Burkina Faso W scored twice in the opening half and added a decisive goal after the break to defeat Equatorial Guinea W 3-1 in a women’s football match. The home side opened the scoring in the 7th minute and doubled its advantage in the 21st, then answered Equatorial Guinea W’s 64th-minute goal with one of its own in the 72nd. The result gave Burkina Faso W a win in its competition opener and left Equatorial Guinea W with a loss in its first match.

Burkina Faso W began with purpose and needed only seven minutes to take the lead. The early goal settled the home side and forced Equatorial Guinea W to chase the game from behind. Burkina Faso W kept pressing and was rewarded again in the 21st minute, when it scored a second goal to build a 2-0 advantage. The two-goal cushion gave the hosts control of the first half and limited Equatorial Guinea W’s chances to establish rhythm.

Equatorial Guinea W returned from the break with more urgency and found a way back into the match in the 64th minute. The visiting side’s goal cut the deficit to one and gave it renewed hope of completing a comeback. For a stretch after the goal, Equatorial Guinea W pushed forward in search of an equalizer, while Burkina Faso W worked to steady its shape and protect the lead. The match remained within reach for the visitors until the home side struck again.

Burkina Faso W delivered the final blow in the 72nd minute, scoring for the third time. The goal restored the home side’s two-goal cushion and made Equatorial Guinea W’s task much harder with time running down. Burkina Faso W then concentrated on seeing out the match, managing possession and limiting space in the closing stages. Equatorial Guinea W could not find another goal, and the home side finished with a comfortable win.

With the result, Burkina Faso W improved to 1-0 in the competition and 1-0 across all competitions. Equatorial Guinea W fell to 0-1 in the competition and 0-1 across all competitions. The opening match of the season for both teams ended with Burkina Faso W taking the win and Equatorial Guinea W leaving empty-handed. The outcome also gave Burkina Faso W early momentum in the competition.

Burkina Faso W’s goals came in the 7th, 21st and 72nd minutes. Equatorial Guinea W scored in the 64th minute. The scoring order reflected the hosts’ ability to start quickly and respond after their lead was reduced. Burkina Faso W led twice by two goals, first in the opening half and again after Equatorial Guinea W had pulled one back. The visitors’ lone goal came during their strongest period of the match, but it was not enough to change the final result.

The match was played at home for Burkina Faso W, which made the most of its advantage in front of its supporters. Equatorial Guinea W struggled to contain the home side early and paid for those defensive lapses before improving after halftime. The visitors’ goal briefly shifted momentum, but Burkina Faso W’s immediate response ended the comeback threat. In the end, the home side’s three goals proved more than enough.

Equatorial Guinea W’s only goal came in the 64th minute, briefly giving the visitors a lift after a difficult opening period. Burkina Faso W responded with a third goal eight minutes later, a strike that restored the home side’s comfortable margin. The visitors could not produce a second goal in the remaining time, and Burkina Faso W closed out the match without further trouble. The home team’s victory followed a scoring pattern that began with an early breakthrough and ended with a late answer.

Before the match, Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Burkina Faso W 1, Equatorial Guinea W 0. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Burkina Faso W with a 65.3 percent probability to win.