Equatorial Guinea secured a commanding 2-0 victory over Sao Tome and Principe at the Malabo Stadium on Friday in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Emilio Nsue continued his fine scoring run, finding the net early in the game as the hosts dominated proceedings.
It was Equatorial Guinea’s second win of the qualifiers, but they remain second from bottom with six points, while Sao Tome sit at the bottom with no points.
The breakthrough came in the 14th minute when Ibán Salvador skillfully maneuvered into the penalty area from the right side.
Rather than attempting an improbable shot from a tight angle, he smartly teed up captain Nsue, who struck a powerful right-footed effort that left goalkeeper Pedro Mateus with no chance.
Just three minutes later, Equatorial Guinea doubled their advantage after a well-worked attacking sequence involving Ibán Salvador and José Machín. Machín calmly slotted past the helpless Mateus, putting the hosts firmly in control.
Sao Tome and Principe, struggling to cope with the home side’s intensity, made early tactical changes in the 34th minute, introducing Rogério Fernandes and Nicola Bragança in place of Ricardo Fernandes and Jamil Pires.
Despite multiple second-half substitutions, neither side managed a shot on target in the latter stages. Equatorial Guinea comfortably saw out the match to earn their second win of the campaign, while Sao Tome suffered their fifth consecutive defeat in the qualifiers.
