UPDATED: Guinea grab late winner against Equatorial Guinea to reach last eight
Sunday's 1-0 victory over 10-man Equatorial Guinea saw Guinea advance to the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals thanks to a stunning goal from Mohamed Bayo in the eighth minute of injury time.
Just as the match was about to go into overtime at the Ebimpe Olympic Stadium in Abidjan, French Ligue 1 team Le Havre's Bayo scored a goal with seconds remaining to send the Guinean team and their sizable fan base into a frenzy of celebration.
The Syli National, who had finished second in the 1976 Cup of Nations knockout match—during which the final four played a round-robin format to determine the winner of the trophy—was experiencing a historic moment.
Now, they have to choose between Egypt or the Democratic Republic of Congo in the last eight in Abidjan on Friday.
However, Equatorial Guinea will be left wondering what could have happened if captain Emilio Nsue had not wasted a penalty midway through the second half. Equatorial Guinea lost with midfielder Federico Bikoro sent off in the 55th minute.
A large number of Guineans in Abidjan turned out to celebrate, and at the end of the game, their players collapsed to the ground as Guinea cheered them on with loud applause.
Coach Kaba Diawara's decision to start ex-Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita and prolific VfB Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy on the bench at kickoff, having scored 17 goals in the German Bundesliga this season, seemed to have severely hampered Guinea.
Following his absence from Guinea's opening two group matches, Guirassy was once again substituted by Bayo.
Mory Konate, a midfielder for Guinea, headed in a free kick in the 53rd minute, but the goal was disallowed for offside, meaning the tie didn't really get going until the second half.
Just a few moments later, Bikoro, a player from Tunisia, was shown the red card after he foolishly followed through and planted his studs in Bayo's abdomen.
Next came the introduction of Guirassy, but on minute 67, a penalty was won by the ten men from Equatorial Guinea.
Iban Edu was challenged by Sekou Sylla and fell while attempting to connect with a Pablo Ganet free-kick, causing the Somalian referee to be called to the pitchside monitor.
Despite the fact that a spot-kick was correctly awarded, Nsue, the competition's top scorer, was unable to convert it for his sixth goal.