Amir Abdou laments lack of composure after Burkina Faso draw with Guinea-Bissau

Burkina Faso head coach Amir Abdou expressed frustration after his side were held to a 1-1 draw by Guinea-Bissau on Tuesday, 31 March 2026 at the Stade du 4 Août in Ouagadougou, citing a lack of composure and consistency.

The Stallions were unable to replicate the level of performance shown in their previous outing, with Abdou acknowledging that his team delivered an uneven display across the two matches played during the FIFA international window.

“We showed two different faces during this FIFA window. We made a lot of changes for this second match. We lacked composure. We weren’t consistent.”

The coach pointed to physical struggles as a contributing factor, noting that his players appeared less sharp against an opponent he described as aggressive.

“We lacked freshness tonight against an aggressive team. We’ll learn from this experience. We’ll correct that for the future.”

Burkina Faso were also caught off guard by the nature of the contest, with Abdou suggesting that his squad had not approached the game in the right frame of mind.

He indicated that mental preparation would be an area requiring attention moving forward.

“We were surprised. My players didn’t approach this match in the best conditions. It’s up to us to improve.”

Despite the disappointment of dropping points, the coach highlighted some positives from the international break, particularly in terms of evaluating his squad. With several changes made to the starting line-up, Abdou used the opportunity to assess different players within the team setup.

“I wanted to see some players, and I saw them. Selection is something you earn. These two matches allowed me to assess the squad.”

The draw leaves Burkina Faso with one win and one stalemate from the international window, offering the coaching staff a clearer understanding of the group as preparations continue.

Abdou suggested that the lessons learned from these fixtures would be important in shaping the next phase of his tenure with the national side.