Equatorial Guinea will begin their quest for a maiden Africa Cup of Nations title when the receive two-time champions, Cote d’Ivoire in the second game of the Group ‘E’ of the 33rd edition of the tournament at the Japoma stadium in the economic hub of Cameroon, Douala tonight.
But Cote d’Ivoire Tuesday suffered a big blow after goalkeeper Sylvain Gbohouo was suspended by football’s world governing body Fifa for an alleged doping violation.
The 33-year-old had been expected to be first choice for his country tonight.
Ranked 114th in the world and 28th in Africa, Equatorial Guinea’s Nzalang Nacional are in their third appearance at Africa’s flagship tournament—their first to have achieved their qualification on the pitch.
The first two appearances of Juan Micha Obiang’s side at the continental football tournament in 2012 and 2015 have been as hosts; the first jointly with Gabon and the latter as sole organiser.
They come to the competition looking to perform better than the previous editions where they finished as quarter-finalists on their debut and forth two years later.
Equatorial Guinea have been winless in previous encounters Cote d’Ivoire that have a good number of players plying their trade in some of the biggest leagues in Europe.
But Casto Nopo, the assistant coach of the Nzalang Nacional he is confident of victory this time around.
“We know Cote d’Ivoire has good players compared to us, but the antelope is not the Elephant’s child. We are not afraid”, Nopo said at a pre-match press conference in Douala Tuesday.
For their part, Cote d’Ivoire, one of the football heavyweights on the continent will be seeking to secure their first three points of the tournament before a second group fixture against Sierra Leone who drew with title holders on Tuesday.
The Elephants, ranked 56th in the world and 10th on the continent are at their eighth appearance and will be seeking to improve on their performance in the previous edition where eventual champions, Algeria knocked them out in the quarterfinals.
Patrice Beaumelle, coach of the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire, said his determination is to grab the three points of all matches.
“I have played Equatorial Guinea several times and it has always been close matches. Tomorrow’s game will be tight but we will do everything to take the three points,” Beaumelle said at the pre-match press conference in Douala.
Over in Group ‘F’, Tunisia who are favourites on paper will open group fixtures with an encounter against Mali.
Both teams have met just once at Afcon previously in an encounter that 1-1. Mauritania play Gambia in the other Group ‘F’ match. BY DAILY NATION