In a monumental upset at the Africa Cup of Nations, Equatorial Guinea secured their place in the knockout rounds by thrashing Ivory Coast 4-0, a result that sent shockwaves through the tournament and shattered the hosts' dreams of advancing.
The match began with Ivory Coast looking dominant, but former Arsenal star Nicolas Pepe's wastefulness in front of the goal proved costly. Equatorial Guinea's breakthrough came in the 42nd minute when captain Emilio Nsue capitalized on a brilliant solo run and square pass from Carlos Akapo, slotting the ball home to break the deadlock.
Despite Ivory Coast's efforts, VAR checks disallowed two goals, leaving scorers Ibrahim Sangare and Jean-Philippe Krasso in offside positions. Equatorial Guinea capitalized on Ivory Coast's misfortune, sealing the game with two quick goals. In the 73rd minute, Pablo Ganet scored a stunning curling free-kick, followed by Nsue completing his brace just two minutes later. Second-half substitute Jannick Buyla added a fourth goal in the 88th minute, completing the historic rout.
Equatorial Guinea's captain, Emilio Nsue, emerged as the MVP, leading his team with a memorable brace in the historic victory. His dynamic performance in the opposition's box played a pivotal role in the shocking outcome.
On the flip side, Nottingham Forest defender Willy Boly had a forgettable night in the Ivory Coast defense, contributing to the leak of four goals. Boly's shaky performance highlighted the nerves that seemed to engulf the hosts as they imploded, effectively ending their hopes of progressing to the next round.
Following this stunning win, Juan Micha's side secured their knockout berth as Group A winners and will play their round of 16 match on January 28. However, the hosts, with just three points and a minus-three goal difference, are virtually eliminated from the competition, needing to be one of the four best third-placed nations—a scenario that appears increasingly unlikely. The defeat against Equatorial Guinea will go down as one of the biggest shocks in tournament history
