Published: October 11, 2024
MONROVIA — Equatorial Guinea will host Liberia at the Estadio de Bata on Friday afternoon in the third qualifying match-day of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Both teams are without a victory from their opening two matches and will be eager to kickstart their campaigns.
Equatorial Guinea were painfully denied a much-needed triumph in their most recent encounter against Togo, which ended 2-2 on September 9.
Liberia, on the other hand, fell short in a 3-0 defeat to Algeria at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex just over a month ago. That marked the Lone Stars’ first loss of the year, following two victories and three draws across all competitions.
Heading into Friday’s match in Bata, both teams are level on points. A defeat for either side could severely damage their chances of progressing in the competition.
Liberia’s goalkeeper, Abdulai Koulibaly, is back in contention after an injury scare during the loss to Algeria. Tommy Sango replaced him in that game, but his wait for a first start in 2024 might continue as head coach Mario Marinica has expressed confidence in Koulibaly, despite some public scrutiny over the nature of his injury. Some pundits suggested the Global Pharma goalkeeper may have exaggerated his injury.
However, Liberia will be without midfielder Mohammed Sangare and defender Joel Johnson, who have both been ruled out due to injuries.
Equatorial Guinea, meanwhile, remains without forward Emilio Nsue, who is serving a six-month international suspension imposed by FIFA. Despite this, the hosts are just one point behind Togo, who currently sit second in Group E, while Algeria remains at the top with a four-point lead.
Friday’s clash in Bata is pivotal for both teams, as they vie to keep their AFCON dreams alive.
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