Equatorial Guinea have it all to do against Tunisia

EQUATORIAL GUINEA

The host nation is this evening set for its biggest challenge at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, when its national team lines up to face north African giants Tunisia in one of the two quarter finals games at the Estadio de Bata, in the country’s port City.

The other contest of the day will pit Central African neighbours Congo Brazzavile against the Democratic Republic of Congo, a fixture that implies at least one Central African nation is already assured of a representative in the semi finals of this competition.

The prolonged celebrations by the home supporters following their side’s heroics against Gabon in the group stage earlier this week have since died off, perhaps in anticipation of the challenge against the North Africans, who breezed through the feeble challenges in the frame of Zambia, Cape Verde Islands and DR Congo in its group.

“They (Tunisia) play a game of poker,” Equatorial Guinea coach Esteban Becker told journalists after taking his men through a highly tactical training session at the Bata complex on Thursday morning.

The Argentine trainer then elaborated this statement in refined English: “They plan everything, the attacks.... when and how, including which side of the field to use and even the speed. In that case we have our hands full.”

Nevertheless the Carthage Eagles are considered huge favourites to triumph in this fixture, being the most experienced team of the two, boasting a first, second and third place finish in its 17 appearances in the prestigious competition.

A 30-minute period of extra time, followed by post match and consequently sudden death penalty shoot out awaits in that sequence for sides whose scores remain equal after 90 minutes, and each of the consequent stages.

AFCON 2015 STANDINGS
P W L D GF GA Pts
Group A
Congo 3 2 0 1 4 2 7
Eq. Guinea 3 1 0 2 3 1 5
Gabon 3 1 2 0 2 3 3
Burkina Faso 3 0 2 1 1 4 1
Group B
Tunisia 3 1 0 2 4 3 5
DR Congo 3 0 0 3 2 2 3
Cape Verde 3 0 0 3 1 1 3
Zambia 3 0 1 2 2 3 2
Group C
Ghana 3 2 1 0 4 3 6
Algeria 3 2 1 0 5 2 6
Senegal 3 1 1 1 3 4 4
South Africa 3 0 2 1 3 6 1
Group D
Cote d’Ivoire 3 1 0 2 3 2 5
Guinea 3 0 0 3 3 3 3
Mali 3 0 0 3 3 3 3
Cameroon 3 0 1 2 2 3 2

Top scorers
Thievy Bifouma 2 (Congo)
Max Gradel 2 (Ivory Coast)
Ahmed Akaichi 2 (Tunisia)
Andrew Ayew 2 (Ghana)
Islam Slimani 1 (Algeria)
Seydou Doumbia 1 (Ivory Coast)
Aristide Bance 1 (Burkina Faso)
Oupa Manyisa 1 (South Africa)
Yannick Bolasie 1 (DR Congo)
Mohamed Yattara 1 (Guinea)
Ibrahima Traore 1 (Guinea)
Mame Biram Diouf 1 (Senegal)
Moussa Sow 1 (Senegal)
Modou Kara Mbodji 1 (Senegal)
John Boye 1 (Ghana)
Javier Balboa 1 (Eq. Guinea)
Iban Salvador Edu 1 (Eq. Guinea)
Emilio Nsue Lopez 1 (Eq. Guinea)
Heldon Augusto 1 (Cape Verde)
Mohamed Ali Moncer 1 (Tunisia)
Yassine Chikhaoui 1 (Tunisia)
Pierre Emerick Aubameyang 1 (Gabon)
Fabrice Ondama 1 (Congo)
Malick Evouna 1 (Gabon)
Prince Oniangue 1 (Congo)
Emmanuel Mayuka 1 (Zambia)
Given Singuluma 1 (Zambia)
Benjamin Moukandjo 1 (Cameroon)
Ambroise Oyongo Bitolo 1 (Cameroon)
Mandla Masango 1 (South Africa)
Thuso Pala 1 (South Africa)
Sambou Yatabare 1 (Mali)
Bakari Sako 1 (Mali)
Nabil Bentaleb 1 (Algeria)