2023 AFCON: Equatorial Guinea v Guinea report

The third last-16 match in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations saw Guinea clinch a dramatic 1-0 win over 10-man Equatorial Guinea at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium.

Date: 28 January 2024

Equatorial Guinea (0) 0

Guinea (0) 1 (Bayo 90+8′)

Equatorial Guinea: J. Owono, C. Akapo, S. Coco, E. Orozco, B. Ndong, F. Bikoro, P. Ganet, I. Salvador, J. Buyla (L. Asue 85′), J. Machin, E Nsue.

Guinea: I. Kone, I. Sylla, J. Jeanvier, M. Diakhaby, I. Diakite, A. Diawara, M. Konate (N. Keïta 79′), M. Guilavogui (S. Guirassy 60′), A. Camara. S. Sylla (F. Kamano 79′), M. Bayo.

First 45′: A drab and dreary first half produced very little in the way of goalmouth action as Mohamed Bayo flashed a shot high and wide of the right post from range for the National Elephants on three minutes, while Morgan Guilavogui also failed to hit the target from an angle on the right in the 44th minute. Both teams wasted a free-kick each that didn’t even clear the wall.

Second 45′: The second half was a much livelier affair that had pretty much everything. Mory Konate had a goal ruled out for offside in the 53rd minute after he headed home from a free-kick before Federico Bikoro was shown a straight red card for the National Thunder two minutes later following a high boot on Bayo. Emilio Nsue then missed a penalty in the 69th minute and Bayo made them pay deep into stoppage time when he headed home Ibrahim Diakite’s cross.

What the result means: Kaba Diawara’s side march on to the quarter-finals for the first time since 2015, while Equatorial Guinea fail to progress beyond the round of 16 for the first time in their history.

What’s next: Guinea will await the winner of the match between Egypt and DR Congo to discover their opponent in the last eight at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium on Friday, February 2.