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Burkina Faso hope to recover after false start in 2015 Africa Cup

Xinhua, January 20, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Burkina Faso team has promised to make amends when they face hosts Equatorial Guinea on Wednesday in their second game of the on-going 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).

Coach Paul Put's team lost 2-0 in their opening Group A match against Gabon and now need to recover and win to stay in contention for a place in the later stages.

"We know what mistakes we made in the first game and we must also try to be sharper in-front of goal. Playing a host country is never easy, but my team is prepared and we must get back to winning ways," Put told Xinhua News Agency.

The Stallions as the Burkina Faso team is known lost to Nigeria in the 2013 Afcon final. The team's top player Jonathan Pitroipa, who missed several scoring opportunities against Gabon, said he is equally prepared for the game and hopes to get some goals that will help his team win.

But during a media briefing at the Bata Stadium on Tuesday morning, Equatorial Guinea's coach Esteban Becker said his boys are ready to come all out and try to get maximum points from Brukina Faso.

"We are aware they are a good team, but we hope our 12th man who are the fans come out in big numbers and cheer us," added the Argentine born coach.

Skipper Juvenal Edjogd Owono, who was not used in the first match that ended 1-1 against Congo Brazzaville, said he is confident their young team will perform well.

"We are aware Burkina Faso will be very eager to win since they lost the first game to Gabon, but we are also more determined to get a result," said the player who features for FC Santa Coloma in Andorra. Endi