The victory for the Nzalang Nacional, with six points after two matches, comfortably makes them the first team to get to the quarter-finals and opens the exit door for the Senegalese at AFCON 2012.

After a star-studded Senegalese team, composed of Souleymane Diawara, Kader, Mamadou Niang, Papis Cisse, Demba Ba put up a good show in the first segment of the match, they will be surprised in the second half when Iyanga Travieso, donning jersey number 8 for the Equato-Guineans netted a 62nd minute header to open scores.

Backed by their home crowd, the Nzalang Nacional gained confidence and believed in their respective capacities. This will not last for long as Amara Traore of Senegal re-energised his team, bringing in Mamadou Niang who was still on the bench and at the 80th minute, Moussa Sow rekindled the hopes of the Teranga Lions to be back in the game and the competition with an equaliser.

However, the Equato-Guineans continued working hard and not showing signs of disillusionment. This will pay off at the 91st minute when Alvarez Aguirre electrified an entire nation, chipping in the second and winning goal for the country of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Bazongo. The Estadio de Bata exploded with joy, as the first favourite to fall out of AFCON 2012 – Senegal, was evident.

Many football observers have blamed the Senegalese for crashing out of AFCON 2012 so fast because they lost their Group A opener against Zambia in a two-one defeat. The outcome of the third and last Group A match pitting the Senegalese against the Mediterranean Knights of Libya, will not change the current situation of the former.

In the first match of the day, the Chipolopolo of Zambia came from behind twice to draw 2-2 with fairytale qualifiers Libya, in a rain-delayed AFCON 2012 Group A match. Assad Osman, donning jersey number 10 struck early in each half for the Libyans on a barely playable Estadio de Bata pitch, but his goals were cancelled out as Emmanuel Mayuka and captain Christopher Katongo netted for the Zambians.

Libya, whose players risked their lives to fulfil qualifying fixtures while a civil war raged in the North African country, retained a mathematical chance of making the last eight if they beat Senegal in their third Group A match, while Zambia loses to Equatorial Guinea in their third match by a large score.

The kick-off of the first second-round group fixture was delayed 76 minutes after torrential late-afternoon rain dotted the pitch at the 35 000-seat stadium with mini lakes.

Efforts to clear puddles of varying sizes included the use of brooms, long and short planks of wood and the belated appearance of a machine which sped up the process.

However, it was questionable whether the game should have gone ahead with a large area of the pitch near the touchline in front of the main stand a muddy, waterlogged mess.