Equatorial Guinea captain Nsue López Emilio scored a hat-trick in his side’s 4-1 win over Burkina Faso in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations on Thursday.
The 34-year-old striker scored the opening goal in the 18th minute before adding two more in the second half to help Equatorial Guinea secure their first win in the tournament.
Nsue‘s hat-trick makes him the first player to score three goals in a single match at the 2023 AFCON. He also becomes the tournament’s top scorer with three goals, one ahead of Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen and Burkina Faso’s Dango Ouattara.
Nsue’s performance was a timely boost for Equatorial Guinea, who had lost their opening match to Sierra Leone. The win moves them up to second place in Group A, two points behind leaders Ivory Coast.
The next match in Group A is Ivory Coast vs Nigeria, which will be played on Friday at 2:00 p.m. local time at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara.
Nsue becomes oldest player to score hat-trick at AFCON
In addition to becoming the first player to score a hat-trick at the 2023 AFCON, Nsue also became the oldest player to do so in the history of the tournament.
The 34-year-old striker is two years older than the previous record holder, Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o, who scored a hat-trick in the 2010 AFCON.
Nsue’s hat-trick was a remarkable achievement for the veteran striker, who is playing in his fourth AFCON. He has now scored four goals in his career at the tournament.
