Equatorial Guinea pulled off a sensational late win in the opening game of the African Nations Cup on Saturday, scoring three minutes from time to end the fairytale hopes of Libya with a 1-0 win in Bata.
Javier Balbao, only recently restored in the squad after a dispute between officials and former coach Henri Michel, proved the hero as he beat the offside trap to run in on goal and expertly place his shot into the back of the net.
He ran perfectly onto a clever through ball from substitute Daniel Ekedo, who had just come onto the pitch for the injured Rodolfo Bodipo.
The goal came as a measure of justice for the Nzalang Nacional, who had a valid-looking goal turned away by the Ivorian match officials after just 16 minutes of the Group A game.
A shot from Ivan Bolado very clearly went over the line, slipping through the legs of veteran Libyan goalkeeper Samir Aboud.
Bolado was first to react to a ferocious short from Juvenal Edjogo that crashed against the goalpost but his shot was scrambled clear only for Balbao to bundle it over but to be incorrectly ruled offside.
Libya had two efforts saved by Equatorial Guinea's Brazilian goalkeeper Danito, one of several mercenaries fielded by the Nations Cup co-hosts.
The second by Djamal Mahamat came just after they had conceded the goal to Balboa.
But they were strangely subdued and caught several times in defence by the quick counterattacks of the Equatorial Guineans, who played with plenty of pace if lacking in direction.
Cameroon-born Thierry Fidjeu might have had a second goal for Equatorial Guinea in the 53rd minute when he hit the ball over from close range with an attempted bicycle kick.
But after the tournament's opening ceremony the night still belonged to the tiny oil-rich nation in a match of few real chances.
The win was made even more remarkable by the travails that have beset Equatorial Guinea over the last months. Michel resigned just a month before the tournament and new Brazilian coach Gilson Paulo arrived three weeks ago to take over the side.
Libya's own Brazilian coach Marcos Paqueta now faces an anxious day or two as his future is mulled over. He could join a steady stream of coaches sacked by Arabian sides after losing their first game in a major tournament.
