Africa Cup of Nations 2012: Group A: Equatorial Guinea 1 Libya 0
The Africa Cup of Nations started on Saturday in west Africa. It’s a competition that gives supporters in Europe of over-saturated leagues a chance to see some new and exciting talent. The opening match in Bata was between the hosts Equatorial Guinea in their first Africa Cup of Nations, and Libya who qualified for the tournament under a backdrop of civil war and unrest at home. It was an interesting match-up between two sides who lacked match practice. The Equatoguineans played very few international matches in the build up to the competition, whilst many of the Libyan players had played very few domestically matches after the breakdown of Libyan football during the civil war.
Like many opening matches of major tournaments the opening exchanges were tentative and nervy. The game became riddled with mistakes as the centre third of the pitch became a battleground, most notably between Equatorial Guinea’s Konate and Libya’s man-mountain Mohamed. As the game settled down the players could finally start playing football (the Equatorial Guinea manager even took off his mustard coloured suit jacket as if to signal it was time to get down to business) the Libyans, decked out in white after eschewing the all green of the Gadaffi regime (surely when your country is finally free of a dictator one chooses a kit more inspiring than a clone of Leeds United?), showed some good touches in midfield whilst the Equatoguineans focussed on breaking through the marvellously named left winger, Randy.
As Equatorial Guinea grasped control of the game the Libyan keeper Abod lost his grasp of the ball. The 39 year old custodian relieved to be let off by an offside flag after allowing the tournament’s bright yellow Adidas ball slip under his body from a weak Equatoguinean shot. The Libyans in response attempted to build attacks through beanpole striker Zuweh who spent much of the game looking rather isolated, though when you’re that tall you’ll look isolated at the best of times. Zuweh’s only real contribution to the game a wild attempt at a bicycle kick and repeated tumbles to the ground as the ball whizzed ten foot over his head.
The Equatorial Guinea side has an almost unreal quality to it. The current boss Paolo Gilson only began his employment with the federation on the second of January and had scant time to build a side worthy of the competition. Additionally most of the players weren’t born in the country, many originate from Spain whilst others were born in countries as diverse as Cameroon, Nigeria and Colombia. It was interesting to note that almost every man in the Equatoguinean side wore yellow boots (some sort of boot deal?) whilst the national broadcaster spent much of the game focussing their cameras on watching politicians and dignitaries rather than the action on the field.
It was despite these oddities that they took the lead late on through Beira Mar’s Balboa (when has a Balboa won a bout early on?) after being played through by substitute Ekedo. A fairy tale for Equatorial Guinea in their first ever tournament and a nightmare for Libya. However, the Mediterranean Knights can have few complaints after their first loss in AFCON 2012 (no losses in qualification), they didn’t show enough to defeat the Nzalang Nacional and will now find it very tough to qualify from Group A against more established sides Zambia and Senegal.