Nsue (left): Photo Credit: Equatorial Guinea Football Federation.
Equatorial Guinea coach Juan Micha says he expects FIFA to give his side back six points docked from them in the early stages of the World Cup qualifiers for fielding the then ineligible striker Emilia Nsue.
He said this during a post-match conference in South Africa on Monday when they drew one-all with Namibia in a Group H match.
"We have this case in which they took six points from us. We took this case to FIFA and they gave us the possibility to use Nsue again. It means they should give us the six points but they have not done that yet,” he said.
“We have confidence in ourselves that we will get back the six points as our goal is to be in the first position in the group.”
FIFA had banned the 35-year-old forward for six months last May after establishing that he had not completed his nationality switch from Spain, which he represented at youth level, to Equatorial Guinea.
FIFA eventually lifted the ban on the Spanish-born striker who scored last week in the 2-0 win over Principe Sao Tome in a Group H match. The world football governing body has now validated his nationality switch.
FIFA banned Nsue saying he was ineligible to represent the West African nation, costing them six points earned from wins over Liberia and Namibia.
Nsue led the West Africans’ front line as they equalised courtesy of Coco’s 54th minute strike to share the spoils with Namibia who had gone ahead through Peter Shalulile’s 51st minute goal in South Africa.
The Brave Warriors sit four points behind leaders Tunisia in the pool whereas Equatorial Guinea are a distant fourth, nine points off the pace with the Carthage Eagles. Additional six points could take Micha's men to within three points of Tunisia.
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