Equatorial Guinea are known to be rock-solid on home soil—Sports Mole

* Sports Mole is a sports news site that is updated around the clock with the latest breaking news and results

* We predict an action-packed affair at the Nuevo Estadio de Malabo, with the hosts claiming all three points

* The Equatoguineas have won each of their last eight competitive home matches since 2019

By Duncan Mlanjira

While Malawi will be looking to pick up where they left off against São Tomé last Thursday when they won 3-1, they are in for a tough 90 minutes against Equatorial Guinea tomorrow as the Nzalang Nacional “are known to be rock-solid on home soil”.

This is a prediction from Sports Mole — a sports news site that is updated around the clock with the latest breaking news and results from right across the sporting world, covering everything from football, cricket, tennis, rugby, athletics, golf and Formula 1.

“We predict an action-packed affair at the Nuevo Estadio de Malabo, with the hosts claiming all three points,” said sports news site, adding that the game will end 2-1 in favour of the hosts as the Equatoguineas have won each of their last eight competitive home matches since 2019 and are expected to be looking to extend the impressive run.

Sports Mole also takes cognizance that Equatorial Guinea’s 0-1 loss away to Tunisia is a huge blow in their quest for a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026™ as well as being docked off six points from the two wins over Liberia and Namibia for featuring an ineligible players, Emilio Nsue, who scored both of the 1-0 wins.

Other reports indicated that Equatorial Guinea gave the hosts Tunisia a hard time but succumbed eight minutes towards the end when they conceded a penalty the game — scored by Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane in the 82nd minute.

Prior to that, Equatorial Guinea took a six-point deduction after they were forced to forfeit their opening two matches by FIFA after fielding an ineligible player in their opening two games.

With this defeat, chronicles Sports Mole, coach Juan Micha’s team have now lost three of their last four matches across all competitions, including a 1-0 loss to 10-man Guinea-Bissau in the Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2023 Round of 16 back in January.

“Equatorial Guinea will be backing themselves to get their qualifying quest up and running as they return home, where they have won each of their last nine competitive matches, scoring 12 goals and keeping eight clean sheets, since a 0-1 defeat to Tunisia in the AFCON qualifiers back in November 2019.

“Malawi, on the other hand, returned to winning ways in the qualifiers as they picked up a 3-1 victory over São Tomé e Príncipe [after they] had kicked off their qualifying campaign on November 17 when they secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Liberia at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex — four days before suffering a 0-1 home defeat against Tunisia.

“Patrick Mabedi’s men have picked up six points from their three matches in Group H to occupy third-place in the standings and could move level with first-placed Tunisia with all three points on Monday.” said the report.

Meanwhile, in his congratulatory message after the 3-1 triumph over São Tomé e Príncipe, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president, Fleetwood Haiya cautioned the team that as they continue with the rest of their assignments in the competition, “it will get harder by each day”.

“As such you need to be vigilant and resilient if results are to come our way,” he said on his Facebook page. “It is my sincere hope that the win will buoy your spirit and resolve to do better in the next round of matches, especially [against] Equatorial Guinea.”

He hailed the team for their performance on Thursday, described it as spirited performance of “good free-flowing football that caught the eye of spectators”.

“You deserve our praises for putting country first and getting the much-needed victory from a team that was trying to prove that they are no pushovers.”

Soon after the match, Haiya facilitated that the Flames be paid their game bonus immediately — the first time -ever that players have received their bonus on the same day of the match.

Flames captain John Banda is quoted on Fam.mw as thanking Haiya for the historic gesture, saying: “I have been part of the Flames set up since 2011 and never have we been paid our game bonus on the same day — this historic and very commendable.

“It just shows the new leadership has the welfare of the players at heart. FAM has done its part and has shown that it is committed to improve our welfare and its now our turn to deliver on Monday.”

The players are entitled to a K500,000 bonus for a win but FAM added K250,000 on top making it K750,000 which was paid to the players before their departure for Malabo.

FAM executive committee member Daudi Mtanthiko, who is leading the delegation in Equatorial Guinea, said the gesture was aimed at boosting the team’s morale, and is quoted as saying: “FAM always want to thank the players whenever they do us proud.

“Winning that game at home alone was a morale booster to them ahead of the away fixture and we thought of adding more value to it by paying them off just after the match, thanks to the FAM leadership.”

Ahead of the match, Sports Mole further reports that Equatorial Guinea coach Micha made just one change in the game against Tunisia and he is expected to name an unchanged starting XI for tomorrow’s.

The report makes special mention of Pablo Ganet, Omar Mascarell, and Pedro Obiang as starting in midfield once again while the duo of Dorian Hanza and Luis Asue to lead the attack.

These are players that made their Mark at the AFCON Côte d’Ivoire 2023 alongside defenders; Basilio Ndong, Esteban Orozco, Saul Coco and Carlos Akapo, whom Sports Mole predicts that they should form the back four, with Alaves goalkeeper Jesus Owono starting between the goals.

“As for Malawi, ZANACO forward Robert Saizi was forced off injured midway through the first half against São Tomé and the 20-year-old is a major doubt for Monday’s game.

“Should he fail to shake off the injury, 22-year-old should come into the fold, teaming up with striker [Chifundo] Mphasi and the experienced Chawanangwa [Kaonga] in the final third.