AFCON 2023: Super Eagles look to maintain dominance over Equatorial Guinea

Nigeria’s Super Eagles will begin their quest for a fourth AFCON title when they face Equatorial Guinea in their first Group A fixture at this year’s edition in Côte d’Ivoire.

The game is billed for Sunday, 14 January, 2024, inside the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan.

This is the first time both teams will cross path in the Africa Cup of Nations, as they will also do battle in Group A with Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea-Bissau.

Ahead of Sunday’s encounter, Jose Peseiro’s men will hope to maintain the dominance the Eagles have enjoyed over Equatorial Guinea, as they have secured wins in all three previous clashes.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA 0-1 NIGERIAN (1st Leg, 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers)

The first ever meeting the Super Eagles and Equatorial Guinea was in the second round of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

It was matchday three in the qualifying series for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The Group 4 game which was played on 15 June 2008, saw Equatorial Guinea host the Eagles inside the 15,000 capacity Nuevo Estadio de Malabo.

AFCON 2013 winning captain, Joseph Yobo, got the only goal of the game as his 5th minute strike secured a 1-0 win for the Eagles.

In action for the Eagles were Vincent Enyeama, Taye Taiwo, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Ikechukwu Uche and Osaze Odemwingie.

Also in action for the Eagles include Kalu Uche, Obinna Nsofor, Victor Anichebe and Seyi Olofinjana.

NIGERIA 2-0 EQUATORIAL GUINEA (2nd Leg, 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers)

Both teams met in the second leg of the Group 4 clash on matchday four, inside the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja on 21 June 2008.

Once again, it was another victory for the Super Eagles as they triumphed 2-0 thanks to goals from Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Ikechukwu Uche in the 45th and 84th minutes respectively.

The Eagles topped the group that also had South Africa and Sierra Leone and progressed into the third and final qualifying round.

NIGERIA 3-1 EQUATORIAL GUINEA (CHAN 2018, Group Stage)

The last time Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea clashed was in the final group game of the 2018 African Nations Championship held in Morocco.

Equatorial Guinea opened the scoring in the 40th minute through Nsi Eyama.

But goals from Anthony Okpotu (59th minute), Dayo Ojo (69th minute) and Rabiu Ali (83rd minute) from the penalty spot, secured the comeback win for the home-based Eagles.

While the home-based Eagles and Libya qualified for the quarter-finals, Equatorial Guinea and Rwanda were eliminated.