The celebration of the Equatorial Guinea players, with Pablo Ganet in the center./AFP
A man from Malaga makes history with Equatorial Guinea
PEDRO LUIS ALONSO Malaga
Pablo Ganet has made history for the Equatorial Guinea team. A goal from Malaga, of descent from this former Spanish colony on his father's side, qualified this team for the round of 16 of the Africa Cup. This humble team, plagued by players born in Spain with ancestors from this country, had only gone far twice in the tournament: in 2012 and 2015, but it happens that they were hosts on both occasions (in 2012 together with Gabon). .
In the first of the appointments she was in the quarterfinals and in the second she was fourth at the end after reaching the semifinals. On this occasion Equatorial Guinea (not to be confused with Guinea Bissau or Guinea Conakry) competes away from home and has also been in the 'group of death' of the first phase, along with Algeria (current champion and which has been eliminated) and Costa of ivory.
A goal in the first half by Pablo Ganet (minute 38), from a pass by Fuenlabrada player Ibán Salvador, gave the victory against Sierra Leone on Thursday. Equatorial Guinea finished second in the first phase, with six points, to seven for Ivory Coast.
Pablo Ganet was in the lower categories of Málaga and in neighborhood teams such as Malaka or Las Lagunas. At the age of 15 he went to the Betis youth academy, before returning to the Martiricos club to play for their subsidiary. His career continued at San Sebastián de los Reyes, Algeciras and in exotic countries such as Morocco, Kuwait and Oman. This summer this attacking midfielder returned to Spain, to the historic Murcia of the Second RFEF.
