AFCON 2025: Equatorial Guinea coach Juan Micha laments costly lapse in defeat to Burkina Faso

Equatorial Guinea coach Juan Micha cut a reflective and frustrated figure after watching his side lose 2–1 to Burkina Faso with two goals conceded deep into stoppage time.

Having seen his ten-man team battle bravely and even snatch an 85th-minute lead, he admitted the collapse in added time was down to a painful loss of focus when it mattered most.

Micha began by acknowledging the strength of the opposition and the brutal nature of the finale, insisting that the game slipped away in a brief but decisive spell. “Congratulations to Burkina Faso on their victory; they were a strong opponent. There was a lack of concentration on our part, and in less than five minutes we lost the match.”

He highlighted how his players struggled to manage the psychological shock of the red card and the late pressure, despite coping physically with the demands of the contest. “Physically we were good, but mentally we were not. The red card affects all the players, and we finished the match with a numerical disadvantage.”​

Micha stressed the need to reset quickly, reorganise, and learn from the collapse as Equatorial Guinea look to stay alive in Group E. “We couldn’t control everything, and we will try to reorganise ourselves and see how we can improve our shortcomings in the next matches. Our morale dropped in just a few minutes, and I hope we can correct things next time.”