Owono out of Cup of Nations qualifiers
Jesus Owono and Jesus de Miguel were involved in a crash during a Spanish second division match.
Goalkeeper Jesus Owono has been excluded from Equatorial Guinea’s squad for upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers following the tragic death of Tenerife forward Jesus de Miguel. The two footballers collided during a Spanish second division match on Monday, leading to De Miguel’s intensive care and eventual passing on Tuesday morning.
Owono, the 25-year-old first-choice goalkeeper for Equatorial Guinea since his teenage years, has previously represented the team at the last three AFCON finals. He was in goal during the opening two qualifiers for the 2027 tournament in September but will miss the matches against Zimbabwe in Bata on November 12 and Harare on November 16.
In a statement, Owono expressed his profound sorrow and grief, stating, "These are the most difficult days of my life. I struggle to find the words, and I find it very hard to process what has happened." He acknowledged the questions that will arise and pledged to handle them with respect.
Outraged by the incident, Owono deactivated his Instagram account and faced online abuse, including being called a 'murderer.' The Equatoguinean Football Federation offered their support, acknowledging Owono's profound sorrow and grief during this challenging time.
Written by urgent.news from SABC News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 1 other outlet
- Owono out of Cup of Nations qualifiers channelnewsasia.com
