Nsue to captain Equatorial Guinea at Cup of Nations finals

MALABO : Veteran striker Emilio Nsue will captain an Equatorial Guinea squad with a strong Spanish flavour at the African Cup of Nations finals in the Ivory Coast this month after being named part of the 27-man squad for the tournament.

The 34-year-old Nsue, formerly with Birmingham City and Middlesbrough, is one of 12 players based at Spanish clubs named in the squad selected by coach Juan Micha and released on Monday.

It features the bulk of the team that upset holders Algeria at the last finals and went onto a surprise quarter-final appearance at tournament in Cameroon, but also includes teenager defender Hugo Buyla who is yet to make a senior debut at Sampdoria and Charles Ondo, who plays for Huddersfield Town’s under-21 team.

Equatorial Guinea have been drawn with hosts Ivory Coast, Guinea Bissau and Nigeria in GroupA and start their campaign on Jan,. 14 against Nigeria in Abidjan.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Aitor Embela (CD Soneja), Manuel Sapunga (Polokwane City), Jesus Owono (Deportivo Alaves)

Defenders: Carlos Akapo (San Jose Earthquakes), Marvin Anieboh (CD Illescas), Hugo Buyla (Sampdoria), Saul Coco (Las Palmas), Jose Elo (Merida), Basilio Ndong (Universitatea Craiova), Charles Ondo (Huddersfield Town), Esteban Orozco (Arges), Nestor Senra (Real Aviles Industrial)

Midfielders: Luis Asue (Sporting Braga), Alex Balboa (Huesca), Federico Bikoro (Club Africain), Jannick Buyla (Logrones), Santiago Eneme (MFK Vyskov), Pablo Ganet (Alcoyano), Jose Machin (Monza), Josete Miranda (Niki Volou), Federico Nguema (CSF Balti), Iban Salvador (Miedz Legnica)

Forwards: Noe Ela (Numancia), Jose Nabil (Cano Sport), Emilio Nsue (Inter City), Salomon Obama (Santa Coloma), Oscar Siafa (Alessandria).

(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town;