Jesús Owono will miss Equatorial Guinea’s upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers after asking to stay with FC Andorra, Deportes TVC reported.
The goalkeeper requested permission to remain with his club during the FIFA window rather than join the national team for two matches against Zimbabwe.
National team coach Vincenzo Alberto Annese confirmed that the federation and coaching staff approved the personal request, explaining that the guardameta expressed his desire to continue working with the Andorran side to maintain his starting position and competitive level, and that his absence does not respond to a sanction from his selection.
“Owono estará ausente por decisión del propio jugador. Ha obtenido permiso de la Federación Ecuatoguineana y del entrenador para no unirse a la selección,” said Annese.
The decision follows a collision during a Segunda División match on November 2 between CD Tenerife and FC Andorra at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López stadium. Forward Jesús de Miguel suffered a cardiorespiratory emergency during the challenge and died the following day at the Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria at age 30, according to Diario de Avisos and BBC Mundo.
Owono published a statement through his club regarding the incident. “Estos están siendo los días más difíciles de mi vida. Me cuesta encontrar las palabras y me resulta muy difícil asimilar nada de lo que ha pasado,” he said, as reported by Deportes TVC and BBC Mundo.
FC Andorra teammate and goalkeeper Joel Robles discussed the inherent risks of plays outside the box, noting that his 40 years in that small environment generated between the three posts vouch for him.
“En Inglaterra hay impactos de este estilo cada jornada. Es una situación que vas al límite. A veces es una décima de segundo, mides mal y se producen este tipo de choques. A esa velocidad no puedes frenar,” Robles told MARCA.
Meanwhile, the Competition Judge Rafael Alonso set the final score of the suspended Tenerife-Andorra match at 2–2, opening a two-day business window for club allegations that closed on November 13, Mundo Deportivo reported. The RFEF Disciplinary Committee is reviewing the referee’s match report, which noted Owono’s red card for a challenge involving excessive force during a ball dispute.
CD Tenerife fans created a dedicated website, jesusdemiguel.es, allowing supporters to send messages to the player’s family and the club, Diario de Avisos reported. Thousands of attendees participated in a public memorial at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López on November 7, while tributes and moments of silence took place across Spanish stadiums wearing his number 9 jersey.
Equatorial Guinea is scheduled to face Zimbabwe on November 12 in Bata and November 16 in Harare without their starting goalkeeper.
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