CAN 2022: the Gabonese savor their qualification and their revenge
Patrice Neveu, the coach of Gabon, during the match against Morocco at the Ahmadou-Ahidjo stadium in Yaoundé, January 18, 2022. © Pierre RENÉ-WORMS/RFI
Text by: Nicolas Bamba Follow
2 mins
Thanks to their draw against Morocco (2-2), Tuesday, January 18, the Panthers of Gabon qualified for the round of 16 of CAN 2022 finishing in second place in group C. A real satisfaction for Gabon after the hard knocks of the first round.
And also a response to comments from Ghana.
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From our special correspondent at the Ahmadou-Ahidjo stadium,
Ten years later, Gabon again passed the first round of the African Cup of Nations.
Released before the knockout phase in 2015 and 2017, absent from the big continental meeting in 2013 and 2019, the Gabonese validated their direct ticket for the round of 16, Tuesday, January 18,
after a unbridled match against Morocco
.
“
It was a very good match.
Opposite, there was a very good team with very good players.
Normal that the show is beautiful
, ”commented André Poko after the final whistle.
Lloyd Palun draws "
a good record
" from this first round from which the Panthers come out undefeated (one win, two draws).
“
They put all their heart
”
For Patrice Neveu, "
what dominates is the satisfaction of having qualified
" more than the disappointment of not having won a match where his men have led twice.
The coach reminds us: “
We must not forget everything that happened before the match, the difficulties encountered.
»
The Covid-19 – since that is what it is – has, in fact, harmed the Gabonese people a lot since their arrival in Cameroon.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the usual captain, and Mario Lemina
thus had to leave the group without having been able to play a single minute of this
CAN 2022
.
Thus, in front of the press, Patrice Neveu expressed how satisfied he is with his players:
“
I congratulated them because they were very respectful of the tactical organization that I had put in place.
They put their hearts into it.
Once again, the objective is achieved.
»
“
In football, you don’t have to talk much
”
The technician also did not forget the harsh comments made by some Ghanaians
after the draw
between the Black Stars and the Panthers (1-1) on January 14. They had pointed out a
lack of fair play
on the part of the Gabonese at the time of the equalizer in the last minutes. "
It's like that with small teams
", had notably launched André Ayew.
At the end of the first round, Ghana takes the door by finishing in last place in group C, while Gabon continues its way.
A scenario in the form of an answer for Patrice Neveu: “
Ghana had targeted us as a team of small players... In football, you don't need to talk much.
It is on the ground that we must demonstrate what we are capable of doing.
»
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