Ngato proud despite CAR defeat, Balbone optimistic over Burkina chances

Central African Republic head coach Sébastien Ngato expressed pride in his players despite their heavy 4-2 loss to Burkina Faso in what was their historic debut at the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN).

Ngato urged his team to keep working and insisted their hopes in the tournament were far from over.

On the other side, Burkina Faso coach Issa Balbon said his team had mentally found their rhythm following the victory and expressed confidence that the Stallions were on their way to reaching their full potential.

Issa Balbon’s charges put in a dominant display at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Wednesday, 6 August, overcoming the Central African Republic 4-2.

It was a convincing response from the Stallions after their opening defeat to hosts Tanzania.

For the Central African Republic, the match marked a milestone – their very first appearance at the CHAN finals.

Ngato Acknowledges Mistakes but Praises His Players’ Spirit

Despite the loss, Central African Republic coach Sébastien Ngato refused to point fingers at his players. Instead, he praised their efforts and took a positive tone during his post-match press conference.

“I’m proud of our players. As I said before, this is our first time reaching this level, and we came here to see how things work at this stage,” said Ngatou.

He did, however, admit that individual mistakes played a part in the defeat.

“The goals we conceded came from our own mistakes. This is football. We’ll continue working ahead of the upcoming matches.”

Still Hope in Qualification – Nothing Has Been Decided Yet

Ngato was adamant that the opening defeat had not ended their campaign and stressed that his team still had a fighting chance of progressing.

“There are five teams in our group, and this was our first game. Take Burkina Faso, for instance — they lost their first match but won the second. In this group, anything is possible," he said.

"Each team has four games, and this was just our first. It doesn’t mean we’re out of the tournament. We can bounce back and advance. After all, a team once lost 4-0 and still went on to win the tournament — it can happen again.”

Learning Lessons – It’s Not the End of the World

Ngato preferred to close the chapter quickly on the defeat to Burkina Faso, attributing the result to pressure and nerves. He reiterated his faith in his players.

“We made mistakes due to pressure and tension — maybe because it was our first match. We could’ve done better, but that’s okay.

We’ll keep working for the upcoming games and see how it goes. The goals we conceded were due to small mistakes, and even though we also scored, what happened was down to some unexpected errors.”

Ngato concluded with a message of hope.

“This is not the end of the world, and we can’t blame the players. It was just one match, our debut in the tournament. We need to support our players and take lessons from this game.”

Balbone Applauds His Team’s Strong Return to Form

Burkina Faso coach Issa Balbone, visibly pleased in the post-match press conference, praised his players for their big win, which helped them recover from their opening defeat to Tanzania.

“We saw in this match a group of players with determination and drive. They bounced back in both performance and result. We needed to win this match, and we did.”

He acknowledged the pressure on his young team going into the encounter.

“There was a lot of pressure on these young players before the game.”

Mental Readiness After Scoring Four

Balbone stated that the victory, especially the manner in which it was achieved, had helped his team find their mental edge.

“I believe we are now mentally ready, and we will soon reach our true level. The playing style will follow. In this match, we simply needed to win.”

He added: “As I mentioned before, we were suffering from fatigue. The players needed to recover from exhaustion.”

A Win That Doesn’t Hide Defensive Worries

Despite the emphatic victory, Balbone did not shy away from concerns about his team’s defensive performance, after conceding two goals.

“I believe we need to work a lot, especially on the defensive aspect. Our backline wasn’t solid against the Central African Republic, and that worries us. We will work on that area.”

Optimism on Both Sides Despite Victory and Defeat

Despite the contrasting results, both coaches maintained a spirit of optimism. Ngato, though on the losing side, held firm in his belief that his team still had plenty to offer in the tournament, applauding their fighting spirit in their CHAN debut.

He insisted that the journey was not over yet and hoped the loss would serve as a motivational tool for the rest of their campaign.

Balbone, on the other hand, was relieved to see his players recover mentally and hailed the win as a launching pad toward stronger performances in the next matches.

Ultimately, the defining theme was the shared optimism from both camps — a trait that underscored the emotional and competitive richness of CHAN 2024.

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