Football can be cruel at times and no better way to describe what happened between Sudan and Equatorial Guinea in their second group game on Sunday at the ongoing AFCON in Morocco.
Sudan desperately needed to win to retain any hope of remaining in the competition after losing their opening game against Algeria,losing their second game was not a consideration.
Just as Sudan desperately needed the maximum points,so was Equatorial Guinea in dire need after losing their opener against Burkina Faso.
Unfortunately, Sudan was the lucky side as a late own goal gifted them a dramatic 1–0 victory over Equatorial Guinea on Sunday, and throwing Group E wide open.
The decisive moment arrived in the 74th minute. Mohamed Eisa whipped in a dangerous free kick that Luis Asue managed to clear but it only slammed teammate Saul Coco, and spun back past a helpless Jesus Owono in goal.
The win lifts Sudan level with Algeria and Burkina Faso on three points ahead of their later clash in Rabat, while Equatorial Guinea who were quarter-finalists in the last two Nations Cups are suddenly staring at elimination after back-to-back defeats.
Sudan could have been ahead much earlier. Eisa stabbed wide from close range in just the fourth minute, then thought he had scored on the hour when his shot beat Owono, only for Esteban Orozco to block it inches from the line.
Equatorial Guinea had their chances too. Pedro Obiang fluffed a clear opening in the first half and, right before the break, headed onto the roof of the net with Sudan goalkeeper Monged Elneel stranded.
Play was briefly halted when Elneel took a knock to the head and was assessed for concussion, but the keeper recovered to continue.
After halftime, substitute Jose Nabil injected energy into Equatorial Guinea’s attack, while veteran striker Emilio Nsue nearly salvaged a point late on, dragging his effort just wide.
Instead, it was Sudan celebrating at Stade Mohamed V, while Equatorial Guinea’s AFCON campaign hangs by a thread.
A draw between Algeria and Burkina Faso later Sunday would send Equatorial Guinea crashing out, a painful exit it would be for a team that dumped Algeria out in 2021 and thrashed hosts Ivory Coast 4–0 at the last finals.
