Gabon were  stronger than the other teams in their African Nations Cup finals group but were undone by poor preparations, leading forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang said after the hosts were dumped out of the competition.

The 2015 African player of the year award winner missed a clear cut scoring chance in their last group A game against Cameroon.

Gabon’s forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (C) walks off the pitch at the end of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations group A football match between Gabon and Burkina Faso at the Stade de l’Amitie Sino-Gabonaise in Libreville on January 18, 2017. / AFP PHOTO

It ended goalless to add to two other draws for the hosts, who were the first home side eliminated in the first round of the Nations Cup for 23 years.

“We had everything to qualify, we had chances. Unfortunately, there are days where it does not work out, like my first opportunity two metres from the goal,” Aubameyang said of a golden early opportunity in the game.  “We struck the post, the goalkeeper made an array of saves. I think we’ve been stronger than the other teams in the group,” Aubameyang said.

Gabon fired Jorge Costa, the former Portuguese international, 70 days before the tournament started and appointed Jose-Antonio Camacho to replace him only one month to go.