CHAN: Balbone confident Burkina Faso will bounce back against CAR

Burkina Faso head coach Issa Balbone has expressed confidence that they have worked on their mistakes and are ready to roar again when they face the Central African Republic (CAR) in their second fixture of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).

The Stallions kicked off their Group B campaign with a 2-0 defeat against hosts Tanzania while CAR, will be out to write history in their first-ever CHAN appearance during the fixture at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Wednesday.

“We started our journey with a loss, and now we must rebuild trust in ourselves to move forward,” Balbone said in a pre-match press conference as quoted by CAFOnline.com. “We’re not just here to play — we’re here to represent an entire country. That means everything.

“The trip was exhausting, and it drained our energy before the first game. But now, all the players are ready. There is no fear — only readiness.”

Burkina Faso defender Patrick Malo echoed the coach’s sentiments by saying: “There’s no room for excuses or underestimation. Every team here deserves respect — there are no small sides in African football anymore. We must play with maximum focus and leave no doubt about our intentions.”

Burkina Faso, who reached the CHAN semi-finals in 2018, are one of the few West African sides with tournament pedigree, despite losing against Taifa Stars.