THERE will be no holds barred tonight when the second round of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) resumes at the Stade De’ L’Amitié in Libreville from 6pm.
All teams in Group A – hosts Gabon, Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Guinea-Bissau – are equal with a point apiece and one goal, ensuring that tonight’s matches will be very intense.
The clashes that promise to keep spectators on the edge of their seats start with Gabon hosting Burkina Faso at 6pm before Cameroon and Guinea-Bissau complete the night at 9pm.
Coaches from all the four teams vowed on Saturday that spectators can expect a night filled with goals and there will be no limits as they continue with their hostile approach to the matches.
Winners in either of the matches will fancy their chances of progressing to the knockout stages as victory would mean they would only need to draw their final group match on Sunday.
Gabon mentor Jose Antonio Alfaro reckons their three days rest has given his players enough time to recuperate and that they will come out firing on all cylinders.
“We were just taken by surprise by Guinea-Bissau’s fighting spirit on Saturday,” he repeated at a press conference held in Libreville yesterday.
“I am looking ahead to our game against Burkina Faso who will surely be tough.
“We saw how they can play against Cameroon. We have to get the tactics right.”
Burkina Faso coach Paulo Jorge pulled the “know it all” card and believes his stay in Gabon between 2012 and 2013 gives him the edge against their opponents.
“We will be mentally and tactically ready for Gabon,” he said. “We cannot hold the four-times African champions (Cameroon) and fail to collect points against Gabon, never!”
Jorge is however not aware of what card Spaniard Alfaro will pull as he had promised to swap his players around and come up with different combinations.
He could start with Serge Kevyn Aboue in place of striker Athanase Bouanga and mix him up with attacking midfielder Guelor Kanga, who plays for Red Star Belgrade in Serbia.
In the other match, the ambitious Djurtus, or African wild dogs as Guinea-Bissau are known, will be on their toes as their target is just to qualify for next week’s quarterfinal.
Frederic Mendy and Francisco Santos da Silver Junior said their confidence was sky high having “not lost” their opening match on Saturday and that they want to continue making their fans proud.
- Mathews Mpete is in Ga-bon as guest of SuperSport.
