Sébastien Ngoto, head coach of the Central African Republic, has admitted his side negotiated the match badly after a 4-2 defeat to Burkina Faso in their opening fixture at the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
The match, held on Wednesday, marked the Fauves A’s first-ever appearance in the final stages of the competition.
Despite the loss, Ngoto remained proud of his players’ commitment, emphasizing the historic nature of their participation.
For a start, I’m proud of my team’s performance. It’s the first time we’ve reached this stage of the competition, he stated, acknowledging the significance of the occasion for Central African football.
However, the coach did not shy away from critiquing the way his team managed key moments in the match.
He pointed to a series of defensive lapses as the main factor behind the defeat.
We negotiated the match poorly because it was our own mistakes that led to most of the goals. No matter, we’ll keep working, Ngoto said, urging his players to learn quickly and adapt as the tournament progresses.
Ngoto’s frustrations were compounded by a controversial VAR decision that awarded Burkina Faso a penalty following contact between Central African goalkeeper Steve Nguema and Josaphat Ouattara.
The incident, which resulted in Burkina Faso extending their lead, drew a strong reaction from the coach, who questioned the impartiality of video assistance technology in African football.
I don’t see the contribution of VAR in this match. It seems that it is only there to boost the so-called great football nations, Ngoto remarked sharply, voicing a concern that has been echoed by other coaches in the tournament regarding the application of VAR in high-stakes fixtures.
Despite the defeat, Ngoto remained defiant, insisting his side is far from finished in the group stage.
We will continue to work. We still have three games to play spoilsport, he declared, vowing that the Central African Republic will be a challenging opponent for any team that underestimates them.
The loss leaves the Fauves A’ with an uphill task in Group B, where they will need a significant response in their remaining matches to keep their quarter-final hopes alive.
For Ngoto and his players, the focus now shifts to regaining composure and capitalizing on the learning curve as they navigate their debut campaign at CHAN.
With three group matches still to play, the Central African Republic remains determined to leave a mark on their maiden appearance, driven by a coach who refuses to let a difficult start define their journey.
🎙”On a mal négocié le match” Sébastien Ngoto (coach Centrafrique) après la défaite contre le Burkina Faso pic.twitter.com/OaFgWRSH4O
— Africa Top Sports (@ATS_fr) August 6, 2025
