Guinea Clinches Quarterfinal Spot with Last-Minute Goal

Guinea secured a spot in the quarterfinals with a dramatic 1-0 victory over Equatorial Guinea in a dramatic conclusion to their Africa Cup of Nations encounter at the Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium on Sunday. The decisive moment came in the eighth minute of stoppage time when Mohamed Bayo’s skillful glancing header found the net, concluding Equatorial Guinea’s impressive run in the tournament.

The round of 16’s second day resulted as the following. 📋#TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/H12VD932YU

— CAF (@CAF_Online) January 29, 2024

Despite being down to 10 men in the second half, Equatorial Guinea had a chance to take the lead when awarded a penalty. However, Emilio Nsue, the tournament’s top scorer, struck the ball against the upright, denying his team the advantage.

Guinea, determined to break their streak of losses in the AFCON knockout stages, introduced Bundesliga-based players Naby Keita and Serhou Guirassy to bolster their attack. The turning point came in the 55th minute when Equatorial Guinea’s Federico Bikoro was sent off, giving Guinea a numerical advantage. Despite this, Equatorial Guinea failed to capitalize on a penalty opportunity shortly thereafter.

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Guinea’s victory was sealed with a well-executed header from Bayo, capitalizing on an accurate cross from Ibrahim Diakité. The win marked the end of Equatorial Guinea’s fairytale run, which included a stunning 4-0 victory over Ivory Coast.

Having secured their place in the quarterfinals, Guinea now awaits the winner of the match between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Egypt in San Pedro. This thrilling encounter showcased Guinea’s resilience and strategic play, setting the stage for an exciting continuation in the tournament.