Footballer's death: Goalkeeper Owono left out of Equatorial Guinea’s AFCON squad

Equatorial Guinea goalkeeper Jesus Owono has been left out of the squad for this month's Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers following the death of Spanish forward Jesus de Miguel, who was involved in a fatal on-field collision with the shot-stopper during a Spanish second division match. The Equatoguinean Football Federation confirmed on Thursday that the 25-year-old would miss the upcoming qualifiers against Zimbabwe as he continues to deal with the emotional aftermath of the incident. Owono and De Miguel collided during FC Andorra's match against Tenerife on Monday. The Tenerife forward was rushed to hospital and admitted to intensive care but died on Tuesday morning, leaving the Spanish football community in mourning. Owono, who has been Equatorial Guinea's first-choice goalkeeper since his teenage years, was part of the squad for the opening two qualifiers for the 2027 AFCON finals in September. He will now miss the home fixture against Zimbabwe in Bata on November 12 and the return match in Harare on November 16.

'These are the most difficult days of my life': Owono

In a statement released by FC Andorra on Wednesday, Owono spoke about the immense emotional toll of De Miguel's death, admitting that he was struggling to come to terms with what had happened. "These are the most difficult days of my life," Owono said. "I struggle to find the words, and I find it very hard to process what has happened. I know there will be many questions to address, and I will face whatever comes with the utmost respect. "But right now, honestly, I cannot think about anything other than Jesus and the pain we are experiencing. Rest in peace, Jesus." The goalkeeper, who has made 47 international appearances for Equatorial Guinea and featured at the last three AFCON finals, also faced online abuse following the incident. He deactivated his Instagram account on Tuesday after receiving abusive comments, with some users reportedly branding him a 'murderer'. The Equatoguinean Football Federation had earlier expressed its support for the goalkeeper, saying that he was experiencing "profound sorrow and grief" following the tragedy.

Teammate defends Owono amid online abuse

Owono also received public backing from FC Andorra teammate Lautaro Spatz, who took to social media to defend the goalkeeper and highlight the emotional suffering he was going through. "I also want to say a few words about my teammate, goalkeeper and friend, who is deeply affected by what has happened," Spatz said. "Those of us who know him know the kind of person he is, how much he is suffering at this moment, and that he would never intentionally hurt anyone."

"In football, unfortunate incidents can happen, but no one could imagine that one of them might end with such tragic consequences," Spatz added, while extending his condolences to De Miguel's family and Tenerife. FC Andorra have also made psychological support available to anyone at the club struggling to cope with the forward's death. Meanwhile, the tragedy has also triggered a case of mistaken identity online. Can Vidalet goalkeeper Michel Owono said on social media that he had been subjected to racist abuse after being confused with the Equatorial Guinea international. Spanish national police have opened a routine investigation into De Miguel's death as the football community continues to mourn the Tenerife forward.