CHAN: Niger coach Harouna Doula remains positive despite Guinea defeat

Niger coach Harouna Doula Gabde has turned focus to their next game after suffering a 1-0 defeat against Guinea in their opening match of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) at Namboole Stadium in Kampala on Monday.

The Syli Nationale’s win was sealed after Mohamed Bangoura II found the back of the net following a VAR review. The breakthrough came just two minutes into the second half. Guinea winger Alhassane Bangoura whipped in a low cross from the left and Bangoura II reacted first, steering a composed right-footed finish into the bottom corner.

“It’s true we lost this match, but there are positives to take,” Doula said after the match as quoted by CAFOnline.com. “We were solid defensively; Guinea didn’t trouble us that much. We had a few chances that we couldn’t convert.”

Doula remained positive by saying: “This is only the first match. “There’s still time to correct things and build on the good parts of our game. I believe in this team.”

While the result gave Guinea an early edge in a highly competitive Group C, which also includes hosts Uganda, Algeria, and South Africa, it was a frustrating start to Niger’s fifth CHAN appearance, especially after a promising fourth-place finish in 2022.