Mauritania’s key CHAN objective is to be competitive with clear identity – Garai

Mauritania’s local national team coach, Aritz López Garai has vowed to make his nation proud by having a great Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) in East Africa.

The Lions of Chinguetti, qualified for their fourth CHAN appearance, and they have been drawn in Group B alongside hosts Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Madagascar, and the Central African Republic.

Despite the tough group, the Spanish tactician, who is overseeing preparations for the tournament, is not worried as he prepares for the difficult path to the knockout stages.

“I’m approaching it with calmness and responsibility. Representing Mauritania in a major competition makes me feel proud and happy. I am convinced we will have a great tournament, because I see the players full of enthusiasm and confidence,” said Garai as quoted by CafOnline.

“Our main goal is to make the Mauritanian people and our football authorities proud of our performance. In football, almost anything is possible. But our key objective is to be a competitive team with a clear identity, and to make Mauritania proud whenever they see us play.”

The Spaniard admitted: “I think the draw is a difficult one. Having one of the host nations in our group makes things even more complex. We respect all our opponents, but we hope to qualify for the next round of the competition.

“Last time, we were in a three-team group and played just two matches. This time, we are in a group of five and will play four very tough games. Let’s not forget, we qualified by unexpectedly eliminating Mali in the previous round.”

They will kick off their campaign against Madagascar at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Tanzania on Sunday, August 2.