The Equatorial Guinea Football Federation has sacked the national team coach, Juan Micha, and several key players following their refusal to travel for the World Cup qualifiers clash with Malawi.
The country faces possible sanctions from world football body FIFA for failing to show up fJuan Michaor the encounter.
The key players went on strike and refused to travel for their penultimate group qualifier last Thursday, citing continual complaints over conditions and money, after which the coach and some players were kicked out of the squad.
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Several regulars, including veteran captain Emilio Nsue, have also been removed from their squad for their last Group H qualifier against Liberia on Monday.
Micha’s dismissal was confirmed in a statement by the Equatorial Guinea Football Federation on Sunday.
The statement read: “The Ministry of Sports has given players called up for these FIFA matches who believe they can continue to defend their country the opportunity to put their names on a list.
“Otherwise, anyone who doesn’t do so will be deemed to have opted out and will no longer be part of the national team.”
Casto Nopo has been appointed as an interim coach, while a new squad has been named for the clash against Liberia on Monday.
The new list excludes many of the players who were in the squad at the last Cup of Nations, where Equatorial Guinea caused a major sensation by beating host Ivory Coast 4-0 in the group phase.
The result was hailed as the biggest shock in Cup of Nations history and followed an upset 1-1 draw with Nigeria in their opening fixture of the tournament in early 2024.
Equatorial Guinea have nothing to play for in the World Cup qualifiers, they currently occupy the fifth position in Group H with 10 points from eight matches.
However, The Nzalang Nacional qualified for the Nations Cup, where they will take on Algeria, Burkina Faso, and Sudan in Group E when the competition kicks off in Morocco.