Prime scorer for Guinea-Bissau throughout the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2023 Qualifiers with 4 objectives, Zinho Gano, is hopeful of impressing on the event.
The Zulte Waregem striker in Belgium, who’s making ready to makes his TotalEnergies CAF AFCON debut intends to maintain the momentum.
The “Djurtus” share Group A with hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea – a bunch Gano believes is feasible to make it out of.
Completely chatting with CAFOnline forward of their opener to be performed on the majestic Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara in Ebimpe on 13 January, the 30-year-old discusses his nation’s probabilities and private ambitions for the event.
How was the journey from Bissau to Abidjan?
It was lengthy, we’re all drained. However an important factor is that we arrived safely, all the pieces went effectively and we’re glad to be right here.
What are your first impressions since your arrival in Cote d’Ivoire?
We arrived Monday night and we had been effectively obtained, each on the airport and on the lodge. Everyone seems to be glad to be right here. It’s now as much as us to point out one thing.
How do you describe the ambiance inside your group?
The ambiance is sweet, we work arduous, we work effectively and the ambiance off the sector is sweet. So I hope we proceed like this.
What does the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON imply to you, personally?
It is a proud second to be right here. As a participant, its an ideal platform to point out what you are able to do.
You’ll have the honour of taking part in the opening match in opposition to the organizing nation. Does that put a sure stress on you within the group?
No, no stress. Quite the opposite, for us it’s an honor to play a match like this. The opening match is one thing particular, there can be possibly a minimum of 60,000 folks within the stadium. I’m knowledgeable footballer, so it’s for any such match that we follow this career. I am actually wanting ahead to taking part in a match like this.
Throughout these three earlier participations, Guinea-Bissau have by no means managed to get previous the group stage. Is your purpose for this version a minimum of to surpass this primary stage of the competitors?
In fact! We did not even win a match. So our first purpose is to win a match after which, to handle to get previous the primary stage. I do know its a tough group with Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria however we are going to see. In soccer, something is feasible.
On this group, we now have Nigeria who’ve already received the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON 3 times, Equatorial Guinea which was semi-finalist in 2015 earlier than reaching the quarter-finals throughout the earlier version in Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire which, along with being the organizing nation, has already received the competitors twice. What do you make of this?
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We all know that these are very massive international locations, however this is a chance for us to point out that we’re there too. Now we have a great group and we’re additionally right here for the fourth time, it reveals that we’re value one thing too.
You had been Guinea-Bissau’s prime scorer throughout the qualifiers with 4 objectives. The ultimate part is a special story. Do you could have any private objectives for this TotalEnergies CAF AFCON?
Its nearly scoring as a lot as doable for my group and for myself. I hope I rating within the opening match in opposition to Cote d’Ivoire, that will be nice.
Ending prime scorer within the competitors, would not the concept cross your thoughts?
Why not! In soccer, as they are saying, something is feasible. For me, that will be great.
What’s the fundamental instruction circulating inside your group concerning this competitors the place you characterize the hope of a complete nation?
Everybody should consider that something is feasible. Even for this opening match. With opening matches, there are at all times surprises and why not, with us. We will win like everybody else, even when it is Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria or Senegal. The match is 11 in opposition to 11 and something is feasible.
Do you could have a particular message to ship to the Guinea-Bissau public for this TotalEnergies CAF AFCON?
Simply being behind us, we want his assist. Its as much as us to point out that we are going to give all the pieces for them and for ourselves.
