Burkina Faso Coach Traoré: AFCON Elimination Painful, I Take Responsibility
Burkina Faso coach Brahima Traoré expressed profound regret following his national team's elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations, after a three-nil defeat to Ivory Coast. In a match where he acknowledged the opponent's superiority, Traoré took responsibility for the failure.
During the post-match press conference, Traoré stated: "It is very painful, especially for a coach, to concede three goals without being able to score any. This hurts a lot. Frankly, I have some regrets, but I take responsibility, because that is what a coach must do."
Traoré added that his ambition for the tournament was clear from the outset, affirming: "I came to eliminate Ivory Coast, but it must be acknowledged that they were excellent this evening, and I wish them good luck for the remainder of the competition."
Regarding the national team's future, Traoré stressed the need for a deep pause and reflection, saying: "I believe it is important to look back, analyze how we reached the 2013 final, and how we played the 2017 semi-final against Egypt, and then learn lessons for today."
The Burkina Faso coach considered this elimination a potentially significant turning point, adding: "This evening we were eliminated, and I believe that can push us to shake things up and change some aspects, so that our national team becomes more combative, because we lacked desire today."
Regarding the match details, Traoré explained that the encounter was complicated from the start, despite a clear plan, stating: "It was a difficult match because we had a plan, which was to start strongly and then try to control Ivory Coast, who are a very technical team. After they scored the first goal, we lost our rhythm, and it became difficult to control the game thereafter."
He continued: "We were not at the level of the Ivorian team, who knew how to control the play and score early. After that, it became complicated, because we were required to find another plan to equalize, which did not happen."
In concluding his remarks, Traoré affirmed that the elimination does not signify the failure of the national team's football project, saying: "We had ambitions and goals, but we did not succeed in qualifying. This does not mean that we do not have a good team. We must continue to work to raise the team's level and enhance its capabilities, while remaining calm and not destroying everything."
