Equatorial Guinea and Guinea set for intense clash in AFCON Round of 16

2 mins read
Equatorial Guinea and Guinea set for intense clash in AFCON Round of 16

A highly anticipated Guinean derby is on the horizon as Equatorial prepares to face in the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Cote d'Ivoire 2023 round of 16. The clash is scheduled for Sunday, 28 January, at Ebimpe's Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium at 17h00 GMT.

secured their spot at the top of Group A, outperforming tournament hosts Cote d'Ivoire, , and . The standout moment was their remarkable 4-0 victory over the hosts, sending shockwaves through the football world. With a total of 9 goals in three matches, boasts the best attack at this stage, led by captain Emilio Nsue Lopez, the tournament's leading scorer with 5 goals.

This will be Equatorial Guinea's fourth appearance in the TotalEnergies , with their best showing in 2015, reaching the semi-finals.

Guinea, qualifying as one of the best third-placed finishers, finished Group C with 4 points behind leaders (9 points) and . Their best performance dates back to 1976 when they reached the final but lost to .

In pre-match comments, Equatorial Guinea coach Juan Micha emphasized the team's focus on taking each match step by step. Guinea coach Kaba Diawara emphasized the importance of tactics in the knockout stage, stating, “We just have to win, and I insist on that.”

The match promises intensity, with players like Equatorial Guinea's Saul Coco acknowledging Guinea as a complicated opponent. Guinea striker Serhou Guirassy expressed the team's determination to surpass this round, stating, “We came into this competition to reach a new milestone.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Latest from Football