‘It means loads. We knew that this might be a historic event,’ mentioned Guinea coach Kaba Diawara, who was in tears on the last whistle.
Mohamed Bayo headed in a dramatic winner within the eighth minute of damage time as Guinea beat 10-man Equatorial Guinea 1-0 on Sunday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations.
The last-16 tie on the Ebimpe Olympic Stadium in Abidjan was heading for further time when Bayo, of French Ligue 1 facet Le Havre, struck proper on the loss of life to spark frenzied scenes of celebration among the many Guinea workforce and their giant help.
It was a historic second for the Syli National, who had by no means beforehand received a Cup of Nations knockout tie – they have been runners-up in 1976, in an period when the ultimate 4 performed a round-robin format to resolve the winner of the trophy.
They will now keep in Abidjan for a last-eight tie on Friday towards the winner of Sunday’s different recreation between Egypt and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“It means a lot. We knew that this could be a historic occasion,” mentioned Guinea coach Kaba Diawara, who was in tears on the last whistle.
“Even if the way we did it was not beautiful, even if we did it in the last minute, we don’t care. Winning is the only thing that matters.”
But Equatorial Guinea, who had midfielder Federico Bikoro despatched off within the fifty fifth minute, will surprise what may need been had captain Emilio Nsue not squandered a penalty halfway by way of the second half.
Their gamers slumped to the turf on the finish whereas Guinea celebrated with their noisy help in a crowd of 36,340, as Abidjan’s sizeable Guinean group turned out in drive for the event.
Guinea had seemed to be handicapped by Diawara’s resolution to depart prolific VfB Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy -– scorer of 17 objectives within the German Bundesliga this season -– on the bench at kick-off, with ex-Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita additionally dropping out.
Guirassy had missed Guinea’s first two group video games and was changed once more right here by Bayo.
The tie solely got here to life within the second half, with Guinea midfielder Mory Konate heading in a free-kick within the 53rd minute just for the goal to be disallowed for offside.
Reckless problem
Moments later got here the purple card, with Tunisia-based Bikoro being dismissed for a reckless follow-through that noticed him plant his studs into Bayo’s stomach.
Guirassy was then launched, but it surely was the ten males of Equatorial Guinea who received a penalty on 67 minutes.
The Somalian referee was summoned to the pitchside monitor after Iban Edu went down below Sekou Sylla’s problem as he tried to attach with a Pablo Ganet free-kick.
A spot-kick was duly awarded, however the competitors’s high scorer Nsue couldn’t take the prospect to web his sixth goal of this AFCON, sending his penalty towards the publish and extensive.
It was to show essential, as Guinea as an alternative made the additional man rely by scoring proper on the finish of damage time when Bayo strained his neck to move in a cross by the spectacular Ibrahim Diakite.
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