Equatorial Guinea reach quarters, Senegal crash

BATA – Equatorial Guinea produced arguably the biggest ever upset in Africa Nations Cup finals on Wednesday by beating Senegal 2-1 to book a quarter-final place and send one of the favourites tumbling out.

A stunning long-range shot by fullback David Alvarez in stoppage time sent Equatorial Guinea to top place in Group A and the small country into delirious celebration.Iban Iyanga, better known by his footballing name Randy, headed home the first goal of the game just after the hour mark to set up the win but home hopes seemed dashed when Senegal equalised in the 89th minute through Moussa Sow.Alvarez then hit a spectacular drive from outside the penalty box to win the match and ensure one of Africa’s smallest countries will play in next week’s quarter-finals.Big guns Senegal, after a surprise loss to Zambia on the opening day, are out.Spurred on by some 30,000 red-clad spectators who screamed and cheered almost every move by their team, Equatorial Guinea held out against a Senegal lineup full of players from European clubs.Ranked 108 places below Senegal, Equatorial Guinea’s controversially-assembled side – all born outside the country – fought for every ball on a rain-soddened pitch.The hosts had few chances but also ensured a frustrating evening for Senegal, who threw everything forward in the last quarter-hour before Sow equalised.Senegal striker Demba Ba had three good opportunities in a 12-minute spell in the first half but missed them all. A stinging shot from Guirane Ndaw was also well-saved by Equatorial Guinea’s Brazil-born goalkeeper Danilo.In the second half Mamadou Niang also produced chances for Senegal but the home defence held tight until Sow netted from close range.Senegal had been the strongest-looking team in the qualifiers, emerging from a tough group ahead of former winners Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo, but now go home victims of the most unlikely result. Zambia and Libya began the afternoon with a 2-2 draw in appalling conditions, both sides agreeing the match should not have been played.Groundsmen used brooms to try to clear away the water before more sophisticated equipment appeared on the field. ‘It was shameful for African football to see them using brooms,’ said former Ghana player Abedi Pele, commentating for a South African network.To add insult to injury, the stadium was almost empty for the first game before quickly filling up for Equatorial Guinea’s match. Libya and Zambia players often had to use beach football tactics, flicking the ball up to get it out of a pool of water before trying to pass it.Ahmed Saad scored at the start of each half for the north Africans, Zambia hitting back first through Emmanuel Mayuka – the Young Boys Berne forward scoring for the second match in a row – and then Chris Katongo.Zambia have four points and need a draw against Equatorial Guinea in their next match to qualify while Libya have one.’The players could have been badly injured. We should not have started,’ Libya’s Djamal Abdallah told Reuters.Katongo said: ‘The conditions were really bad and very difficult to play in. We had to resort to ping-pong football and that is not our style.’

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