Sidney Tchibinda says that the Central African Republic would like to make a strong impression in their debut at the African Nations Championship, co-organized by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
After missing the first seven editions, De Wild Beasts insured their first qualification for the tournament by beating Cameroon in the qualifications.
They will strive for glory in their debut performance, but first they have to navigate in a challenging group B with fellow guests Tanzania, as well as Madagascar, Mauritania and Burkina Faso.
Despite the difficult competitions that lie in front of us, the midfielder is not surprised and explains that his team wants to be the surprise package of the tournament.
“After waiting for a long time, we are happy to finally be eligible for this tournament. Many people did not believe in us, especially when we were about to play Cameroon in the qualifications. But we proved that they were wrong,” Tchibinda told FlashScore.
“This is our first time they play in Chan, and we want to let it count. Nobody expects us to do a lot, and that gives us the chance to surprise everyone.
“We have trained hard, well prepared and we are united as a team. All my teammates understand how important this is for our country.
“It is more than just football; it is about pride and showing the world that football has a future in the Central African Republic.
“We are ready to give everything on the field and make our people proud. This is our moment, and we want to make the best of it.”
The Central African Republic is confronted with Burkina Faso in their opening match in the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar Es Salaam, and a victory over the stallions would set the tone for their urge to reach the quarterfinals.
When asked about the opportunities of his team against the more experienced West -Africans, Tchibinda said that they would rather let their performance on the field speak for themselves, instead of making empty promises.
“We will approach this match, just like any other game we have played before, give everything and do our best to get the result we want,” he went on.
“Many people see us as the underdogs, and that actually works to our advantage. There is less busy and it gives us the chance to surprise everyone.
“We know that Burkina Faso is a strong team with a lot of experience, which has played in the Chan tournament more than three times. But this is football, where everything can happen.
“What is the most important thing is how we perform on the day. We are not interested in daring statements or promises; instead we let our actions on the field do the floor.
“We respect our opponents, but we believe in our team and in the work we have done to get here. We are ready to fight for a victory and make our country proud.”
Auto -head coach Sebastien Ngato made it clear that his team did not come to East Africa for an adventure, which means that every suggestion that they would be overwhelmed by the occasion.
“We are not accidental here,” Ngato said reporters at the press conference before the competition.
“This is not an adventure. We have been working with this group of players since 2021. They know each other well. They understand the mission.
“We know that people are talking because we are new. But we are here to play football with confidence and respect. Every team at this level deserves credit – including us.”
He added: “We have prepared seriously at the moment. The opportunities are 50-50. We will fight to earn the result we want.
“We have trained hard, we are ready and we are determined to make a statement. It is our first time, but we will fight for a respectable result. That is up to us.”