Equatorial Guinea goalkeeper Owono misses AFCON qualifiers after player death
The 25-year-old shot-stopper will miss upcoming matches against Zimbabwe following a fatal on-field collision with Spanish forward Jesus de Miguel.
Equatorial Guinea goalkeeper Jesus Owono has been excluded from the squad for this month's Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, according to the Times of India. The decision follows the death of Spanish forward Jesus de Miguel, who died on Tuesday morning after a collision with Owono during a Spanish second division match between FC Andorra and Tenerife on Monday.
The Equatoguinean Football Federation confirmed on Thursday that the 25-year-old will miss the upcoming fixtures against Zimbabwe. Owono is expected to miss the home match in Bata on November 12 and the return match in Harare on November 16.
Owono, who has made 47 international appearances for Equatorial Guinea, released a statement on Wednesday regarding the incident. "These are the most difficult days of my life," Owono said, adding that he is struggling to process what happened.
The goalkeeper deactivated his Instagram account on Tuesday after receiving online abuse, including comments calling him a 'murderer'. FC Andorra teammate Lautaro Spatz defended Owono on social media, stating that the goalkeeper is deeply affected and would never intentionally hurt anyone.
The Equatoguinean Football Federation previously expressed support for Owono, noting he is experiencing profound sorrow and grief. Spanish national police have opened a routine investigation into the death of De Miguel.