Burkina Faso coach Paul Put believes that his team's victory over Togo in the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations will encourage his players to put on an optimal performance when they face Ghana in Wednesday semi-finals.
The 56-year-old Belgian coach congratulated his players for their solid performance in their 1-0 win over Togo, which allowed them to book a place in the African tournament semis.
"Congratulations to my players. [The victory] is a befitting birthday gift for our president," Put told reporters after the game.
"I'm the happiest coach in the tournament now; everything we worked on in training was realised today," he added.
The Stallions reached the CAN 2013 semi-finals for the first time since 1998 after a header in extra time by Jonathan Pitroipa gave them a 1-0 win over fellow outsiders Togo on Sunday.
"There are always fears when we go to extra time, but the players were very patient and we achieved more possession of the ball than Togo," Put pointed out.
"Physically, my players surprised me with the performance they gave today, but the will was there – and so too now the reward."
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