2023 AFCON: 34-year-old Nsue to lead Equatorial Guinea against Eagles on Jan. 14

Emilio Nsue

• As Omonia delays Uzoho’s arrival

Equatorial Guinea’s most experienced player, Emilio Nsue (34), is warming up to face the Super Eagles on January 14 in the teams’ opening game at the Cote d’Ivoire 2023 African Cup of Nations.

Nsue is a veteran of African Cup of Nations and a permanent fixture in the Equatoguinean team since they co-hosted the competition in 2015.

The right back, who also plays as a midfielder, plays for Spanish third tier team, Intercity FC, in a career that has seen him appearing for such clubs as Mallorca, Real Sociedad and Castellón, Middlesbrough and Birmingham City, as well as Cypriot club, APOEL, and Bosnia’s Tuzla City.

Apart from Nsue, Equatorial Guinea have two players of Nigerian descent in their squad, including Javier Eneme, who plays for Czech side, MFK Vyškov, and Marvin Aniebo of Spain’s secunda division side, CD Illescas.

At the Cote d’Ivoire 2024 AFCON, Equitorial Guinea would be seeking to go beyond the quarterfinals, which they achieved in Cameroon in 2021.
At that competition, the Nzalang Nationale or National Thunder, they lost to Cote d’Ivoire in their opening game and produced one of the surprise results when they defeated Algeria in their second game and also beat Sierra Leone to make the second round.

They beat Mali in the second round 6-5 via penalties to qualify for the quarterfinals for the third time in their history. They subsequently lost to eventual champions, Senegal, 3-1 in the quarterfinals.

Coach Joan Micha has invited 45 players for their final preparation for the AFCON, which includes a friendly against Cameroun on January 8, 2024, which is six days before the game against Eagles.

The match against Nigeria will hold at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium,