Overview:
Equatorial Guinea is now on the summit of group A with four points off two matches. Hosts Cote D’Ivoire who take on Nigeria in their second game later on Thursday evening are second with three points.
AFCON 2023 Group A (Round 2):
- Equatorial Guinea 4-2 Guinea Bissau
Equatorial Guinea captain Emilio Nsue Lopez scored the first hat-trick at the ongoing AFCON 2023 tournament in Cote d’Ivoire.
This was during Equatorial Guinea’s comprehensive 4-2 victory over Guinea Bissau in group A at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe in Abdijan on Thursday, January 18, 2024.
Spanish-born international Nsue put Equatorial Guinea ahead in the 21st minute.
Nsue who turns out for CF Intercity in the third tier of Spain’s football pyramid beat goalkeeper Ouparine Djoco from close range.
An own goal by Esteban Orozco Fernandez leveled matters in the 37th minute after a teasing and inviting well-laid ball from the right by Mauro Teixeira.
Video Assistant Referee denied Guinea-Bissau a penalty after a review as the first half neared its climax to end 1-goal apiece.
Equatorial Guinea returned very lethal, aggressive and focused for the second half.
Josete Antonio Boacho Miranda, another player born in Spain restored their lead a minute after the restart of the game with a long ball orchestrated by goalkeeper Jesus Ngua.
Five minutes later, captain Nsue made it three with a tap-in at the back post off Basilio Nchama’s delivery from the left flank.
Nsue beat the off-side trap and rounded up the advancing goalkeeper Ouparine Djoco to slot the ball home off the left foot from an acute angle as he completed his hat-trick, Equatorial Guinea’s fourth goal on the evening.
Substitute Ze Turbo beat goalkeeper Jesus from close range for Guinea Bissau’s second goal deep in injury time.
This was the second defeat for Guinea-Bissau who had also lost 0-2 to Cote d’Ivoire in the official opening match.
Equatorial Guinea who held Nigeria to a 1-all draw in their opening game is now on the summit of group A with four points off two matches.
Hosts Cote d’Ivoire who take on Nigeria in their second game later on Thursday evening are second with three points.
Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau are on one point apiece coming to their second game in the championship.
All Round 1 Results:
Group F:
- Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) 1-1 Zambia
- Morocco 3-0 Tanzania
Group E:
- Mali 2-0 South Africa
- Tunisia 0-1 Namibia
Group D:
- Burkina Faso 1-0 Mauritania
- Algeria 1-1 Angola
Group C:
- Cameroon 1-1 Guinea
- Senegal 3-0 The Gambia
Group B:
- Egypt 2-2 Mozambique
- Ghana 1-2 Cape Verde
Group A:
- Nigeria 1-1 Equatorial Guinea
- Cote D’Ivoire 2-0 Guinea Bissau