Gabon men National football team captain, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has vowed to put the team's poor time at the Africa Cup on Nations right in the World Cup Qualifiers in August. Putting the three miserable draws (which saw them crash out at the group stage of the tournament they were hosting) behind them and concentrating on beating the Ivory Coast in their next clash.
At the AFCON the Panthers conceded a last-minute goal to only draw 1-1 with minnows Guinea-Bissau in the opener, and could only follow it up with a 1-1 draw against Burkina Faso, before a 0-0 draw with Cameroon saw them exit as th third-placed team.
Aubameyang knows he and his teammates let supporters down and has promised to better their performance against an opponent they defeated 2-0 in the African Cup of Nations two years ago.
“We have learnt our mistakes,” said the 27-year- old born in France to a Gabonese father and a Spanish mother, making him eligible to represent three nations. He opted for Gabon, a country once captained by his father even though they have never gone further than the quarterfinals at the Cup of Nations.
“I remain positive that we can reach our first goal, which is qualifying for the knockout stages of the World Cup", said the striker who tops the goal chart in the German top flight. "But we must rectify the mistakes in our last game to beat them” the skipper said.
After opening their World Cup campaign with a goalless draw against Morocco, they followed it up with another goalless draw with Mali - they need Aubemayang's goals more than ever! The Ivory Coast double-header should give them a chance to get back on track.
By the time the match takes place, Aubameyang might well have moved clubs, with interest from both Spanish clubs meaning that you might need if you intend to see him playing in the 2017/18 season.
