Libya and Equatorial Guinea will open Group J of the African Cup of Nations qualifiers on Wednesday. The Nzalang Nacional are atop the table and retain a two-point lead over Tunisia. They have won each of their last four qualifying matches.
Preview (Libya vs. Equatorial Guinea)
In the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying process, Libya reached a new low when they lost to Botswana 1-0. Hamdi Bataw’s team had the majority of possession and was in control for the majority of the match. Gape Mohutsiwa’s goal in the 45th minute gave the hosts their first victory of the qualifiers. They were punished for lacking sting in front of goal. They began the qualifying process in June 2022 with a 1-0 victory against Botswana in the Group J curtain-raiser. The Mediterranean Knights have now lost each of their four games.
This is a result of their offensive difficulties. They haven’t scored in four straight games and have only managed one goal thus far. It is the joint-fewest number in the qualifying matches with Madagascar and Lesotho. By defeating group favorites Tunisia 1-0 last time out at the Nuevo Estadio de Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, on the other side, climbed into first place in the group.
Emilio Nsue, a seasoned forward, scored his 15th goal for his country and increased his lead atop the nation’s all-time scoring list with a penalty kick in the 85th minute to hand the visitors their first loss of the qualifying rounds. Currently, leading Group J, two points clear of Tunisia in second place. Juan Micha’s team will need all three points on Wednesday to maintain their lead due to the superior goal difference. Nevertheless, Equatorial Guinea will be betting on themselves to get the desired outcome. They face a rival team that has dropped each of the previous three encounters between the nations. This record dates back to a 3-0 victory in January 2018.
Team News
A youthful and inexperienced 24-man squad coached by Libyan manager Bataw has been called up, with 18 players receiving their first call-ups to the senior national side of the Mediterranean Knights. Aseel Al-Maqsabi, Osama Al-Sareet, and Al-Akhdar striker Mohamed Ayad are a few of the several new faces, along with the midfield tandem of Abdulsalam Dega from Al-Hilal Benghazi. Subhi Al-Dhawi and Sanad bin Ali, the defensive tandem from Al-Ittihad Tripoli, have also been selected, while Abdulmuyasser Bousheiba, who scored two goals in 11 games in the previous season’s Libyan Premier League, could make his professional debut.
Equatorial Guinea, meanwhile, has called up 22 players for their final qualifying match, including Huesca midfielder Alex Balboa and Alaves goalkeeper Jesus Owono. Federico Bikoro, who has the most senior appearances in the Nzalang Nacional squad with 43, will likely play in a midfield triangle alongside 24-year-old Jannick Buyla and Santiago Eneme. We anticipate Equatorial Guinea to start the game at the Martyrs of February Stadium on Wednesday with all guns blazing because the first place might be on the line. They face a struggling Libyan team that has also dropped each of their last three games, but we predict that they will once again come away with all three points.
Libya 0 – 2 Equatorial Guinea
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