FACTBOX-Soccer-Profile on Equatorial Guinea team for 2021 Africa Cup of Nations

- - - Key player: Carlos Akapo Age: 28 Defender Amid a squad loaded with players born or based in Spain, Akapo is the only player who competes in LaLiga. He was born in Elche with a father from Equatorial Guinea, and his younger brother Javier is also in the squad.

Factbox on Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers Equatorial Guinea. Africa Cup of Nations record

Previous appearances in finals: (2) 2012, 2015 Best performance: Semi-finalists 2015

Drawn in Group E with Algeria, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone - - -

Coach: Juan Micha The 46-year-old former international had some coaching experience in Spain at Fuenlabrada before returning home to join the local football federation, coaching first the women's teams before taking on the men's Under-17 side.

He was asked to step in as a caretaker coach in November 2020 in the Cup of Nations qualifiers and was offered a one-year contract last March. - - -

Key player: Carlos Akapo Age: 28 Defender Amid a squad loaded with players born or based in Spain, Akapo is the only player who competes in LaLiga.

He was born in Elche with a father from Equatorial Guinea, and his younger brother Javier is also in the squad. He made his Spanish top flight debut with Huesca before moving down a division to help Cadiz to promotion in 2020. - - -

FIFA world ranking Dec 2021: 114 How they qualified: Second in qualifying Group J, behind Tunisia but ahead of Tanzania and Libya

Squad: Goalkepers: Aitor Embela (Somozas), Jesus Owono (Deportivo Alaves), Manuel Sapunga (Futuro Kings), Mariano Magno (Deportivo Unidad)

Defenders: Carlos Akapo (Cadiz), Marvin Anieboh (Cacereno), Cosme Anvene (Deportivo Unidad), Saul Coco (Las Palmas), Miguel Angel Maye (Futuro Kings), Luis Meseguer (Navalcarnero), Basilio Ndong (Start), Luis Enrique Nsue (Futuro Kings), Esteban Obiang (Antequera) Midfieders: Javier Akapo (Ibiza Islas Pitiusas), Alex Balboa (Deportivo Alaves), Ruben Belima, Federico Bikoro (both Hercules), Jannick Buyla (Gimnastic Tarragona), Santiago Eneme (Nantes), Pablo Ganet (Real Murcia), Jose Machin (Monza), Josete Miranda (Niki Volos)

Forwards: Dorian Hanza (Langreo), Luis Nlavo (Sporting Braga), Emilio Nsue (Apoel Nicosia), Pedro Oba (Futuro Kings), Iban Salvador (Fuenlabrada), Oscar Siafa (Olympiakos Volos). (Compiled by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

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