Equatorial Guinea captain Emilio Nsue showcased his skill in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations match against Guinea-Bissau, resulting in their elimination from the tournament.
Equatorial Guinea dominated their Group A opponents, defeating them 4-2 at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara.
Nsue, the leader of The National Thunder, was the driving force behind their victory, scoring a hat-trick with a series of impressive goals.
Nsue opened the scoring in the 21st minute, capitalizing on a brilliant pass from Pablo Ganet to find the back of the net on the right side of the goalpost. However, in the 27th minute, Esteban Orozco had an unfortunate moment as he unintentionally scored an own goal while attempting to intercept a pass, giving the opponents an advantage.
The video assistant referee (VAR) was called upon in the 39th minute when referee Samuel Uwikunda awarded a penalty but was then asked by the VAR officials to review the decision on the monitor. After looking at a few different angles, the referee changed his mind.
Shortly after the second half began, Josete Miranda scored a second goal for Equatorial Guinea, and they continued to dominate the game. Nsue, a veteran attacker, scored two goals, making him the first player to score three goals in the Afcon since 2008.
He scored his second goal in the 51st minute and completed his hat-trick 10 minutes later. However, his third goal was initially ruled offside, but the VAR quickly overturned the decision, much to the delight of the Equatorial Guinea captain.
Despite scoring two goals, one of which was an own goal and another in stoppage time by Ze Turbo, Guinea-Bissau’s performance was disappointing overall. They have conceded six goals, making them the weakest defense in the tournament so far.
They suffered a 2-0 loss against Ivory Coast in the opening match, resulting in their elimination from the tournament.
Nsue’s hat-trick has placed him in an elite group of players, including two-time Afcon winner Samuel Etoo of Cameroon, South Africa’s Benni McCarthy, Egyptian legend Ahmed Hassan, and Zambian football darling Kalusha Bwalya, who have all scored three goals in a single Afcon game.
This outcome increases the pressure on the top teams in Group A, Nigeria and hosts Ivory Coast, who will soon face each other in a crucial match to establish their dominance in the group. Before their match against Ivory Coast, Nigeria’s Super Eagles had only managed to earn one point so far, putting them at risk of being eliminated from the tournament early.
