By Fredrick Nadulli aka Razor,
Equatorial Guinea 1-1 Congo
Equatorial Guinea led for seventy minutes before they cracked under intense pressure to tie with resilient Congo.
After a simple yet colourful opening ceremony and introductory speech by president Obiang Nguemma,the hosts flew off the blocks with captain Emilio Nsue squandering a golden opportunity to score with barely a minute on the clock when he delayed with the ball at his feet and the Congo goal at his mercy.
The Middlesborough striker made amends on sixteen minutes when he slipped the ball under the lunging body of Jean Mafoumbi after a neat through ball from Enrique Boula.
They pressed forward with Iban Edu attempting an audacious forty-yard shot and Javier Balboa’s pointblank effort well saved by Mafoumbi.
Congo came from the breather the hungrier of the sides and substitute Serge Douniama’s low curler on the hour mark had Felipe Ovono at full stretch.Nsue thought he had put the game beyond reach but his lobbed goal was wrongly ruled offside by Kenyan linesman Aden Marwa.
Congo took the cue and pushed men forward,Nganga Prince’s freekick coming off the upright on eighty two minutes.Their persistence paid off four minutes to full time when Thievy Bifouma,busy all afternoon,found the bottom corner to restore parity.
