Africa Cup of Nations hosts Equatorial Guinea, have sacked coach of the national football team Andoni Goikoetxea ahead of the showpiece that starts 17th January.
According to Supersport, Goikoetxea departed on Thursday, following the election of a new president for the Equatorial Guinea Football Federation (FEGUIFUT) last week.
Goikoetxea, who was renowned in his playing days as a tough-tackling defender dubbed the ‘Butcher of Bilbao’, tweeted an appreciation message to players “for their work and many good results”.
It is believed that failure in a recent regional competition for the Equatorial Guinea side plus losses in two
warm-up games in Portugal last week likely led to his departure.
Equatorial Guinea who will play Congo in the opening game of the 16-team tournament in Bata on January 17, lost to fourth tier team Villafranquense and Benfica’s B team in Portugal where they have preparing for the Cup of Nations.