Guinea secured a spot in the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast on Sunday with a 90+5 minute header by Mohamed Bayo.
Equatorial Guinea, despite defying expectations by topping Group A, was eliminated by Guinea, who qualified as one of the best third-place teams in Group C, behind Senegal and Cameroon.
The match, held at Ebimpe’s Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium, ended with a 1-0 victory for Guinea.
In the first half of the game, there were more fouls than shots on target. Both teams played aggressively, resulting in Julian Jeanvier of Guinea receiving a yellow card in the 41st minute. However, despite the intense play, the first half ended with a 0-0 tie.
In the second half, Equatorial Guinea faced a setback when Federico Bikoro was given a straight red card after 56 minutes of play.
Despite being down a player, the Equatorial Guinean team continued to attack their opponents, and they were awarded a penalty after a VAR check. However, Emilio Nsue missed the opportunity to put his team ahead when he hit the outside of the post.
As Equatorial Guinea tried to score, their chances were wasted, allowing Guinea to secure a late victory. Mohamed Bayo’s header in the 98th minute sealed the deal for Guinea on Sunday evening.
Despite being a player down, Equatorial Guinea showed great determination to secure a victory within the regular playing time. Although they missed a penalty, they can still take pride in their efforts on the day.
Guinea had a numerical advantage over their opponents but failed to take advantage of the situation. This allowed Equatorial Guinea to apply pressure and ultimately turn the tables on them, leading to their victory in the later stages of the match.
Now, Guinea will shift their focus to the upcoming match between Egypt and DR Congo, as they will face the winner of that game.
Meanwhile, Equatorial Guinea will return home and reflect on their journey in the Afcon.
