Equatorial Guinea will hope to build on their first victory in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign when they travel to face Liberia at Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium on Monday evening.
Meanwhile, the Lone Stars will be aiming to secure their first win of the qualifying series while avoiding a third consecutive defeat.
Match preview
Liberia had more attempts (nine) than Equatorial Guinea (eight), with both teams getting only one on target respectively – however, Iban Salvador's 34th-minute penalty was the only one that mattered, as the Equatoguineans won the game 1-0.
The loss left Mario Marinica's men bottom of Group E with just one point from three matches, and they now have a mountain to climb if they want to qualify for the 2025 AFCON, a tournament they have not made it to since 2002.
The Lone Stars, who recorded two victories and three draws from their first five games across all competitions this year, have now lost consecutive matches, and they now stand the risk of losing three straight matches for the first time since a five-match losing streak between March and November 2023.
However, Liberia will enter this game hoping to preserve their unbeaten home record against Monday's visitors, having won and drawn one each of two such matches, though the win was awarded after FIFA found the Equatoguineans guilty of fielding an ineligible player in a World Cup qualifying game.
Meanwhile, Friday's win ended a run of two matches without a win for Equatorial Guinea, and it saw them rise to second place in the group with four points, five behind leaders Algeria.
The Nzalang Nacional started 2024 on a good note, picking up two wins and a draw from their first three competitive outings, however they went on to win just one of the subsequent five—a 1-0 victory over Malawi in a World Cup qualifying match back in June – before Friday's victory.
However, while the first leg result over Liberia was a welcomed one, coach Juan Micha will be hoping that his side show improvement in the return leg, knowing that a repeat of such might leave them short on Monday.
Historically, the concerns will be legitimate, given that Equatorial Guinea have never won away in Liberia, settling for a goalless draw in a 2007 AFCON qualifying match, and have not won any of their last four away matches across all competitions.
Team News
With forward Emilio Nsue, who won the last AFCON Golden Boot award, hit with a six-month international suspension by FIFA, 28-year-old Salvador has become Equatorial Guinea's go-to player for goals, and he will be hoping to find the net once again.
Federico Bikoro extended his all-time record for the Nzalang Nacional to 56 appearances last Friday, and he will be aiming to add more caps come Monday.
Santiago Eneme is yet to open his account for the team after over 20 caps, but he is expected to lead the line once again.
Goalkeeper Abdulai Koulibaly was back between the sticks for Liberia after coming off with an injury scare in the defeat to Algeria in September.
William Gibson, who scored the Lone Star's only goal in the AFCON qualifiers so far, might be making a return to the team after failing to feature on Friday.
Liberia possible starting lineup:
Koulibaly; Swen, Kamara, Dweh; Freeman, Kenneh, Dorley, Teclar; Wilson, Sackor, Kumeh
Equatorial Guinea possible starting lineup:
Owono; Akapo, Fernandez, Anieboh, Ndong; Obiang, Pepin, Ganet; Buyla, Eneme, Salvador
We say: Liberia 0-0 Equatorial Guinea
Liberia have struggled offensively recently, failing to score in their last two matches, but we believe that they have sufficient defensive solidity to hold an Equatorial Guinea side that failed to register a shot on target in open play last Friday.
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