Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire: Emilio Nsue’s spectacular hat-trick led Equatorial Guinea to a thrilling 4-2 victory over Guinea-Bissau in their TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Group A clash on Thursday. The match, played in Abidjan, saw Nsue’s exceptional performance elevate Equatorial Guinea to the top of their group.
Equatorial Guinea opened the scoring in the 20th minute when Nsue capitalized on a defensive error. Guinea-Bissau responded with an equalizer through an Esteban Orozco own goal, resulting from Franculino Dju’s pressure. However, Equatorial Guinea regained the lead right after halftime with Josete Miranda’s strike following a long goal kick.
Nsue continued to exploit Guinea-Bissau’s defensive lapses, scoring his second goal in the 51st minute and completing his hat-trick shortly after the hour mark with an emphatic finish. Guinea-Bissau managed to pull one back in added time through Ze Turbo, but it was merely a consolation.
Nsue’s hat-trick marked the first in an AFCON finals since Morocco’s Soufiane Alloudi’s treble against Namibia in 2008. The victory puts Equatorial Guinea in a strong position in Group A, ahead of the later match between Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria.
Equatorial Guinea’s coach Juan Micha praised the team’s complete performance, signaling their campaign’s resurgence. With one game remaining in the group stage, Equatorial Guinea stands on the brink of securing a second consecutive appearance in the AFCON knockout stage.
The team’s impressive showing, with star player Nsue in top form, highlights their potential to challenge any remaining defense in the tournament. The win not only boosts their standings but also adds excitement and competitiveness to the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations.
