Africa Cup of Nations: Nigeria vs Equatorial Guinea Live
Preview
Nigeria will kick off their quest for a fourth Africa Cup of Nations title with a match against Equatorial Guinea at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium on Sunday. The Super Eagles aim to stay strong despite having to make multiple lineup changes due to injuries before their opening game, while the Nzalang Nacional seek to maintain their consistent record of advancing from the group stage.
Jose Peseiro’s Nigeria team has not been well-prepared, and their on-field performances do not inspire confidence in their chances of winning a fourth title. Their disappointing performance in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers and their elimination in the previous AFCON have raised doubts about their abilities. Despite having talented attackers, they have failed to live up to expectations. The team’s best player, Victor Osimhen, will be crucial to their chances in Group A. The team’s recent 2-0 loss to Guinea in a friendly match has raised concerns about the manager’s tactics and the team’s overall balance before their first tournament match.
Regarding Equatorial Guinea’s Nzalang Nacional, their consistent advancement to the quarter-finals in previous continental tournaments serves as a source of motivation ahead of their upcoming match. It is worth noting that their success in three out of the last four tournaments occurred when they either co-hosted or hosted the event. Despite this, the small West African nation performed well in AFCON 2021 in Cameroon, reaching the quarter-finals.
Juan Micha’s team enters this year’s finals in excellent form, having remained undefeated in 2023 and securing victories in World Cup qualifying matches against Namibia and Liberia without conceding a goal. Their notable win in the previous year was a 1-0 victory over Tunisia in AFCON qualifying, which has given them confidence in potentially defeating Nigeria, a team whose capabilities have been questioned. While success is not guaranteed, the Equatoguineans are not intimidated by the Super Eagles, who are perceived to be less effective as a collective unit.
Head-to-head
Nigeria has maintained a perfect record against Equatorial Guinea in their last three encounters, emerging victorious in all three matches, with their most recent meeting in 2018 resulting in a 3-1 win.
Prediction
Equatorial Guinea has not lost in 11 games, both competitive and non-competitive, and is expected to extend that streak to 12 against a Super Eagles team that heavily depends on Osimhen to perform well.
