Denis Bouanga reflects on Gabon’s AFCON

The MLS-based striker was speaking after Gabon’s dramatic 3-2 defeat to defending champions Ivory Coast at the Stade de Marrakesh – a match in which they surrendered a two-goal lead to finish on the losing side.

In an interview with SABC Sport, Bouanga offered a frank assessment of Gabon’s campaign after they ended bottom of a group that also featured Cameroon and Mozambique.

"It is very dissapoinying because we played very well before the competition in the World Cup qualifiers, which makes this result difficult to accept, but we will keep on going for this is still a young Gabon team."

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Bouanga added that the two halves was evidence of the different levels between Gabon and the title holders.

He concluded by emphasising that the AFCON no longer had minnows, given some of the teams that beat them to a spot in the knockout phase.

"The AFCON is great. You see the Mozambique team for example, most people don't know their players but they surprised teams. In each edition it has become harder to win games because there are no small teams in the AFCON."