In a shocking turn of events, Equatorial Guinea delivered a crushing blow to Ivory Coast’s AFCON hopes with a resounding 4-0 victory. The hosts, Ivory Coast, entered the final round of Group A fixtures needing a point to secure their progress into the AFCON last 16. However, they were left stunned and facing an embarrassing early exit from their home tournament.
Veteran captain Emilio Nsue, who had already netted a hat-trick in the previous match, continued his impressive form by scoring two opportunistic goals. His brace, combined with a sensational free-kick from Pablo Ganet and a late effort from substitute Jannick Buyla, sealed the fate of Ivory Coast.
Equatorial Guinea’s victory propelled them to the top of Group A as surprise winners, leaving Nigeria to settle for second place on goal difference. This remarkable triumph adds to Equatorial Guinea’s reputation as giant-killers, having reached the quarter-finals in 2012 and 2021. Their journey in this year’s AFCON has been nothing short of remarkable, stunning defending champions Algeria along the way.
For Ivory Coast, their prospects of advancing to the next stage now hang by a thread. With a miserable goal difference and a heavy defeat to overcome, they must anxiously await the outcome of the remaining group stage fixtures to determine their fate as one of the best third-placed teams.
This unexpected result will undoubtedly go down as one of the worst nights in Ivorian football history. Les Elephants had their fair share of opportunities, with goals disallowed for offside, but ultimately failed to capitalize on them. As the tournament progresses, it remains to be seen whether Ivory Coast can turn their fortunes around and salvage their AFCON campaign.
