Equatorial Guinea goalkeeper Jesus Owono has been left out of the national team squad for this month's 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers following the tragic death of Tenerife forward Jesus de Miguel. The 30-year-old striker passed away after suffering a serious injury during an on-pitch collision with Owono in a Spanish second division match on Monday. Following the incident, the 25-year-old goalkeeper personally requested not to be involved in the upcoming international fixtures.
Owono broke his silence on Wednesday through a statement released by his club, FC Andorra, admitting he is currently enduring "the most difficult days of my life" and sharing that it has been "very hard to come to terms with what has happened." Equatorial Guinea's football federation (Feguifut) confirmed that the shot-stopper asked coach Vincenzo Alberto Annese to be omitted from the squad. Feguifut president Venancio Tomas Micha previously stated that the federation is extending "all our human and professional backing" to support Owono during this period.
The goalkeeper's absence marks a significant change for the National Thunder, where Owono has been the established first-choice keeper since November 2020. During that period, he has featured at the past three Afcon tournaments. He previously helped Equatorial Guinea reach the quarter-finals of the 2021 Afcon, though the side most recently experienced a group-stage exit at the 2025 finals in Morocco.
Without their regular starter, Equatorial Guinea now turn their attention to a crucial Group E double-header against Zimbabwe. The campaign continues with a home match in Bata on Thursday, 12 November, followed by an away fixture in Harare four days later. Both teams currently sit level on three points after two rounds of fixtures, trailing group leaders DR Congo on six points, while Sierra Leone occupy the bottom of the table without a point.