TotalEnergies U-20 AFCON: CAR aim to better previous experience

The Central African Republic will be seeking to better their quarter-final finish in the last edition when they open their campaign against Uganda on Monday at the Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia.

Les Fauves were knocked out in the last eight by The Gambia and coach Sebastien Ngato believes they have prepared well to go a step further in the 23rd edition of the TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nation, Egypt.

“Before coming we prepared the team in Morocco and we’re ready for the competition. Our target is to go to the semi-final, and we hope to achieve more than the last tournament in Mauritania,” Ngato said at his pre match press conference.

Central African Republic are one of the first teams to land in the land of the Pharaohs as they seek to get used to the weather conditions.

“I’m satisfied with our preparations in Morocco, and we played two matches, and it was good that we prepared. We want to go further. This is like the World Cup for us.

“The team did well, and the team has a goal which is to come to the competition and we’re not here to have fun we have a goal. This is the category for U-20, and we have brought new players to play in this competition. We are here to give it our all,” he added.

Christian Banan will captain the Les Fauves in Egypt when they open their Group B campaign against Uganda’s Hippos at the new Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia.

“Our objective is to go further, and we’re prepared to as a team. The coach knows the strategy and he have a planned for everything,” Banan told reporters.

“This is my second AFCON and we’re very motivated and organized. The coach has been motivating us to do well and hopefully we will return his trust.

“I’ve great experience in this tournament and we all have the ambition to achieve our goals and tomorrow is an opportunity to show that.”

They are placed in the group with Uganda, South Sudan and Congo Brazzaville.

“I think the coach has made (objective) it all clear for us because we have moral objectives as a group to perform and hopefully, we will win this competition.

“We want to do well and break into our national team in the future.”