AFCON 2015: Equatorial Guinea Coach Praises Ghana After Chaotic Semi-Final Defeat
By BBC Sport Africa
Host nation Equatorial Guinea saw their historic Africa Cup of Nations run come to an end on Thursday night as they were convincingly beaten 3-0 by Ghana in a semi-final marred by crowd trouble and a lengthy interruption.
The match in Malabo, part of the 30th edition of the tournament, was halted for more than 30 minutes late in the second half after violent scenes erupted in the stands. Despite the turmoil, play eventually resumed, allowing Ghana to complete their victory and book a place in Sunday’s final against Côte d’Ivoire.
Becker: “Ghana Were the Better Side”
In his post-match remarks, Equatorial Guinea’s head coach Esteban Becker was gracious in defeat, acknowledging the superior quality of the Black Stars while also applauding his team’s unexpected journey to the last four.
“I don’t like to justify myself to referees. Ghana was superior,” said the Argentine coach. “But I’m proud of my players and what Equatorial Guinea achieved to reach the semi-finals.”
Becker’s side, which only qualified for the tournament as a last-minute replacement host, had defied expectations by advancing past the group stage and defeating Tunisia in the quarter-finals.
Nsue Eyes Third-Place Finish
Team captain Emilio Nsue echoed his coach’s pride, urging his teammates to shift their focus to Saturday’s third-place play-off against DR Congo.
“Nobody believed we would get this far,” said Nsue. “Now we have to play one more match, and if I have to choose between third and fourth place, I would choose third.”
Nsue’s comments reflect a strong desire to end the tournament on a high note and give home fans something to cheer about after the disappointing semi-final scenes.
Match Overshadowed by Violence
While Ghana’s progression to the final was never in serious doubt after goals from Jordan Ayew, Mubarak Wakaso, and André Ayew, the match will be remembered as much for what happened off the pitch as on it. Bottles and other objects thrown from the stands forced Ghanaian fans to invade the pitch for safety, prompting security forces to intervene with tear gas and aerial surveillance.
CAF is expected to launch an investigation and may issue sanctions against Equatorial Guinea, whose successful tournament run has now been partly eclipsed by the violent end to their semi-final.
