Traore was not present when Amara Dabo,
the financial director of Guinea's sports ministry, picked out the winning ball
to take the Syli Nationale through to a last-eight tie against Ghana at Mali's
expense in a drawing of lots at the Malabo Hilton on Thursday.
the financial director of Guinea's sports ministry, picked out the winning ball
to take the Syli Nationale through to a last-eight tie against Ghana at Mali's
expense in a drawing of lots at the Malabo Hilton on Thursday.
But the 26-year-old winger was a constant
menace for Guinea's opponents during the group stage in Equatorial Guinea,
thriving on the responsibility that has come with being the stand-in captain in
Michel Dussuyer's side.
menace for Guinea's opponents during the group stage in Equatorial Guinea,
thriving on the responsibility that has come with being the stand-in captain in
Michel Dussuyer's side.
In the absence of injured skipper Kamil
Zayatte, 'Ibou' led by example with telling contributions in each of Guinea's
1-1 draws with the Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Mali in Group D.
Zayatte, 'Ibou' led by example with telling contributions in each of Guinea's
1-1 draws with the Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Mali in Group D.
He set up the opening goal in the 1-1 draw
with the Ivorians in Malabo and saw a shot crash off the woodwork in the second
half before being given the official man of the match award.
with the Ivorians in Malabo and saw a shot crash off the woodwork in the second
half before being given the official man of the match award.
Traore came away with that prize again
after scoring a marvellous goal against Cameroon a few days later, and against
Mali it was his shot that struck the arm of Salif Coulibaly as Guinea won a
first-half penalty which was converted by Kevin Constant.
after scoring a marvellous goal against Cameroon a few days later, and against
Mali it was his shot that struck the arm of Salif Coulibaly as Guinea won a
first-half penalty which was converted by Kevin Constant.
In a team that was written off by
observers before the competition began, Traore has been the star turn. Not that
he would say so himself.
observers before the competition began, Traore has been the star turn. Not that
he would say so himself.
"I have responsibility as captain
when Kamil is not there, but star status? No. The collective is more important
than having one star player. The most important thing for me is that the team
wins," insisted the slightly-built left winger who is one of many players
at this Cup of Nations to have been born in the suburbs of French capital
Paris.
when Kamil is not there, but star status? No. The collective is more important
than having one star player. The most important thing for me is that the team
wins," insisted the slightly-built left winger who is one of many players
at this Cup of Nations to have been born in the suburbs of French capital
Paris.
However, it is in Germany that he has made
his name at club level. He was a teenager turning out for a lower-league team
near Paris when he left for Hertha Berlin.
his name at club level. He was a teenager turning out for a lower-league team
near Paris when he left for Hertha Berlin.
The 1.72m-tall dynamo left the German
capital without making a great impression, with his coach Lucien Favre saying
his physique was not suited to the demands of the Bundesliga.
capital without making a great impression, with his coach Lucien Favre saying
his physique was not suited to the demands of the Bundesliga.
And yet, after spells at Augsburg and VfB
Stuttgart, it was Favre who brought him to Borussia Moenchengladbach on a
four-year deal last summer.
Stuttgart, it was Favre who brought him to Borussia Moenchengladbach on a
four-year deal last summer.
Meanwhile, he has been outstanding for
Guinea, netting twice in Cup of Nations qualifying, including in a 1-1 draw
with Ghana in October.
Guinea, netting twice in Cup of Nations qualifying, including in a 1-1 draw
with Ghana in October.
Qualifying in itself was a triumph over
adversity for a country battling against the Ebola virus, which forced the Syli
Nationale to play 'home' qualifiers in Morocco and complicated their life
wherever they went.
adversity for a country battling against the Ebola virus, which forced the Syli
Nationale to play 'home' qualifiers in Morocco and complicated their life
wherever they went.
"In Uganda, people didn't dare come
near us. There were endless health checks and at the stadium the supporters
chanted 'Ebola, Ebola'," said Traore, who knows how important footballing
success is to the people of Guinea.
near us. There were endless health checks and at the stadium the supporters
chanted 'Ebola, Ebola'," said Traore, who knows how important footballing
success is to the people of Guinea.
"When people are having difficulties
they look to football for happiness. It is always important to perform well at
the Cup of Nations but all the more so in the current context," he said at
the start of the tournament.
they look to football for happiness. It is always important to perform well at
the Cup of Nations but all the more so in the current context," he said at
the start of the tournament.
And there were big celebrations in Conakry
after the news broke that luck had been on their team's side in Thursday's
drawing of lots.
after the news broke that luck had been on their team's side in Thursday's
drawing of lots.
However, Traore insists: "I don't
think it's all down to luck. I think we deserve it for how we have
played." – AFP, January 31, 2015.
think it's all down to luck. I think we deserve it for how we have
played." – AFP, January 31, 2015.
- See more at:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sports/article/diminutive-traore-the-star-turn-for-guinea#sthash.enuQZ1xn.dpuf
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sports/article/diminutive-traore-the-star-turn-for-guinea#sthash.enuQZ1xn.dpuf
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