The Stallions were beaten on November 14 by the lions of Téranga on the smallest of marks, at the March 26 stadium in Bamako. Coaches, players and managers learn lessons from this short defeat of the coach’s foals.
Brama Traoré, coach of the Etalons: “Our plan worked 100%, but there was no success” We have just lost a match that was close to our hearts. Now for this meeting, the plan was clear. It was to leave the ball to the Senegalese in the first half, let them play but close our axis of goal. And be able to take advantage of it in the 2nd period to knock out the opponent. We had chances, we weren’t lucky enough to make them happen. But we have just demonstrated to Africa that Burkina Faso has enormous potential. We played this match without eight starters on the team. However, we have shown that we can compete with the entire Senegalese team. Frankly, my greatest bitterness is not having exploited the opportunities offered to us. This is my biggest regret. It’s bitter, it’s sad. I am a coach, I have to take this very philosophically. Because there are days when your team plays poorly and wins the game. Today our plan worked 100%, but there was no success. This is football. We will continue to work. I think after this match, Senegal will respect us.
Pape Thiaw, Senegal coach: “We faced a very good team from Burkina Faso”
They put in more energy than was necessary. I would like to congratulate my players. They fought until the end. I would also like to congratulate the Senegalese supporters who came en masse and also the Malian people for their support. We faced a very good team from Burkina Faso who showed great things during the meeting. We insisted a lot to be able to take three points in this match. We didn’t talk about this match as a group final, but there is still another match played next Tuesday at home that we will also have to win.
Edmond Tapsoba, defender of the Etalons: “We were unlucky in conceding a goal”
I would like to congratulate the group because we had a better quality match than the first leg. We created many chances but the finishing was lacking. Also, we were unlucky by conceding a goal from an innocuous strike. That’s the life of football, sometimes we play well we win and also we can lose by playing well. It’s up to us to learn lessons and work in front of goal for the next matches. I narrowly missed the equalizer, just after conceding the goal. I tried it didn’t work. There are down days in football. It’s up to us to come back strong, play the next match to win it and hope for a misstep from Senegal.
Charles Kaboré, former captain of the Stallions: “We always learn from our mistakes”
We had a lot of opportunities to score. Now the most important thing is that we are qualified, the main thing is done. But today we could have had a small result. It’s a shame with all the opportunities we had. It’s really a shame. I think we respected Senegal too much, especially since they are not the Lions from before. We always learn from our mistakes. There are many young people in the team. They learn. They will be much more present and more realistic in the future.
Oumarou Sawadogo, president of the FBF: “We must encourage the players”
My regret is not having scored. You noticed it like everyone else. And in football when you don’t score, the opponent when he has his first opportunity, doesn’t miss it. This is what happened to us. But I believe we have to encourage the players. Despite the absence of a few tenors, they held their own against the Senegalese and even cast doubt on them. This bodes well for the future. As for the next match against Malawi, it’s not because we beat them in the first leg that we are leaving for conquered territory. We have to tell ourselves that first of all the altitude will be against us. Then they will want to play for honor. We will have to re-motivate ourselves and try to win the three points on Monday.
Watil Pooda, head of mission of the Burkinabè delegation: “We must continue to work”
The luckiest team won. But given the background of the game, there is material. If we work, we can have very good results. We were also unlucky. We must continue to work.
Comments collected in Bamako by Sié Simplice HIEN
