Zambia, Libya share 4 goals MALABO – Spanish fourth division fullback David Alvarez scored in stoppage time to send Equatorial Guinea's team of unknown foreign-born players into the African Nations Cup quarterfinals with a 2-1 win over eliminated Senegal Wednesday. Alvarez's long-range effort for the co-hosts completed an extraordinary day in the competition which began with a tropical downpour that delayed the start of a double bill in Bata by more than one hour. Senegal's much-vaunted team, mostly made up of players from clubs in the major European leagues, missed more than a dozen clearcut openings as they became the first side to be knocked out and can expect a hostile reception on their return to Dakar. Zambia and Libya began the afternoon with a 2-2 draw in appalling conditions, both sides agreeing the match should not have been played. Groundsmen used brooms to try to clear away the water before more sophisticated equipment appeared on the field. The fact afternoon downpours are common in Bata raises questions about the wisdom of staging back-to-back evening matches in the stadium. “It was shameful for African football to see them using brooms,” said former Ghana player Abedi Pele, commentating for a South African network. To add insult to injury, the stadium was almost empty for the first game before quickly filling up for Equatorial Guinea's match. Ranked 151st in the world and playing in the tournament for the first time, Equatorial Guinea's players received one million dollars between them from the government for winning their Group A opener against Libya. Once again, the co-hosts began the match with 11 foreign-born players in their lineup, unheard of in international competition. The team included five players born in Spain, two from Ivory Coast and one each from Cameroon, Brazil and Cape Verde. The pitch had improved considerably for the second match, having been almost unplayable for the opener.
