Africa Cup of Nations: Equatorial Guinea 2-0 Gabon

Africa Cup of Nations: Equatorial Guinea beat Gabon and move into quarters

• Equatorial Guinea 2-0 Gabon
• Read Nick Miller’s minute-by-minute report of the game



Equatorial Guinea reached the African Nations Cup quarter-finals after second-half goals by Javier Balboa and the substitute Iban Salvador gave them a 2-0 win over Gabon in a pulsating Group A game on Sunday.

The victory ensured the host nation finished runners-up with five points and advanced two points adrift of the group winners Congo, who edged Burkina Faso 2-1.

Having soaked up incessant pressure throughout the match, Equatorial Guinea took the lead against the run of play after their forward Javier Balboa was fouled and got up to score the spot-kick in the 55th minute.

Salvador rounded off a swift break in the closing stages, sweeping home a rebound after the Gabon keeper Didier Ovono parried Emilio Nsue’s shot straight into his path.

Equatorial Guinea’s goalkeeper Felipe Ovono was central to their success, having produced a string of superb saves to deny the Gabon forwards Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Frédéric Bulot.