Emiliano Nsue: Spain Based Defender Scores First Hat Trick at AFCON 2023

• Emiliano Nsue has scored a hat-trick for Equatorial Guinea
• The forward starred as Nzalang Nacional beat Guinea Bissau
• Equatorial Guinea will face Ivory Coast in their final Group A game

Spain-born Equatorial Guinea star, Emiliano Nsue has become the first player to score a hat-trick at the Africa Cup of Nations.

The 34-year-old led the Nzalang Nacional to an emphatic win in the first game of the second round of matches as Equatorial Guinea defeated Guinea-Bissau to go top of Group A.

Nsue opened the scoring after a mistake from the Guinea-Bissau defenders in the 21st minute.

The player who plays as a defender for his club Inter City and as a striker for the national team then scored his second after the break, meeting a cross from Basilo Ndong.

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The former Middlesbrough player sealed victory on the hour mark with a clever finish.

Meanwhile, in between his third and fourth goals were strikes from Orozco Fernandez -an own goal- and Josete Miranda. Ze Turbo pulled one back late in the game for Guinea Bissau.

Nsue also becomes the oldest scorer of a hat-trick at the continental championship.

Equatorial Guinea, who held three-time champions Nigeria in their opening game, will next face host Ivory Coast in the final Group A clash.

Nsue's hat-trick sink Guinea Bissau

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Emilio Nsue scored the first AFCON hat-trick since 2008 as Equatorial Guinea beat Guinea-Bissau 4-2 on Thursday to close in on a place in the last 16.

Nsue opened the scoring midway through the first half before a sparse crowd at the Ebimpe Olympic Stadium and added two more goals in the second half in a remarkable performance.

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The result leaves Equatorial Guinea, who held Nigeria 1-1 in their opening game, with four points in Group A, which also contains hosts Ivory Coast.

Nsue's roles for club and country

Sports Brief also reported that Emaliano Nsue is one of the few players who play different roles at club and country.

The Nzalang Nacional came into this game on the back of an impressive one-all draw against Nigeria. Emilio Nsue was the main man as he completed his hat-trick in the 61st minute.

The 34-year-old is the top scorer of his nation with 21 goals, 14 more than the closest challenger, according to stats from Transfermarkt.