Emilo Nsue Lopez, the captain of Equatorial Guinea, scored a hat-trick today to lead his team to a 4-2 victory over Guinea-Bissau in the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON 2023.

Nsue’s feat was the first hat-trick of the tournament and the first in the AFCON since 2008, Footballrover reports.

Nsue, who plays as a right back for CF Intercity in the Spanish third division, transformed into a centre forward for his country and put on a show for the fans.

He scored his first goal in the 21st minute, followed by two more in the 51st and 61st minutes.

The match was a dominant performance for Equatorial Guinea, who controlled the tempo from start to finish.

Guinea-Bissau managed to pull one goal back in the 37th minute through an own goal by Esteban Obiang, but Equatorial Guinea quickly restored their two-goal lead with a strike from Josete Miranda in the 46th minute.

Ze Turbo scored a consolation goal for Guinea-Bissau in the 108th minute, but it was too little, too late.

Equatorial Guinea held on to win the match 4-2 and take the lead in Group A with four points.

34-year-old Emilio Nsue Lopez scores the first hat trick of this AFCON.

The Equatorial Guinea forward is the oldest player to score a hat trick in the tournament's history.

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Nsue’s performance was the highlight of the match. The 34-year-old striker showed that he is still a force to be reckoned with, even in the twilight of his career.

His hat-trick was a historic moment for Equatorial Guinea and one that will be remembered for years to come.

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