The Gabon national team, known as the Panthères, has started their preparations for the upcoming CAN 2027 qualifiers against Lesotho. The team's coach, Sébastien Migné, and most of his staff arrived at the team's base in Bongoville on Sunday, along with two players, Chris Obiang from Mangasport and Didier Ndong, who is currently without a club.
The team will be joined by the rest of the players from the diaspora, who were expected to arrive on Monday and Tuesday. The team's training program includes sessions to improve physical fitness and light training, with more intensive technical and tactical training scheduled for later. The team's first match against Lesotho will be played on Friday at the Stade de Franceville.
The match against Lesotho is crucial for the Panthères, as they seek to qualify for the CAN 2027 tournament. In their previous encounter with Lesotho, the Gabonais were held to a draw, and Migné will be looking to improve on that performance. The team's players will need to be in top form to overcome the Likueni, as Lesotho's national team is known.
The team has suffered two setbacks with the withdrawal of François Junior Bekale and Orphé Mbina due to injury. Bekale was forced to return to Libreville for medical treatment, while Mbina is struggling with an adductor injury. However, Migné has called up Joël Eyaga Mbore and Alan Do Marcolino to replace them, with Do Marcolino returning to the team after a year's absence.
The Panthères will be looking to build on their recent performances, which have been mixed. The team's preparation for the match has been hampered by the lack of a suitable training pitch in Gabon. Despite these challenges, Migné is confident that his team can achieve a positive result against Lesotho.
The second match against Lesotho will be played on November 17, and the Panthères will need to secure a win to boost their chances of qualifying for the CAN 2027 tournament. The team's fans are eagerly anticipating the matches, and the players will be under pressure to deliver a good performance.
The CAN 2027 qualifiers are an important milestone for the Panthères, and a positive result against Lesotho will be crucial in their bid to qualify for the tournament. With a strong team and good preparation, the Panthères will be looking to make a statement and secure their place in the CAN 2027 tournament.
Key points
- The Gabon national team has started preparations for their CAN 2027 qualifiers against Lesotho.
- The team has suffered two setbacks with the withdrawal of François Junior Bekale and Orphé Mbina due to injury.
- The Panthères will be looking to build on their recent performances and secure a positive result against Lesotho.
