Virtually eliminated from the race to qualify for CAN 2025 in Morocco, the “Barea” will play their best. Having lost at the end of added time in the first leg against Tunisia, the Malagasy have no choice but to win and hope.
It is a team without stars which constitutes the Malagasy eleven, but which nonetheless has a rather balanced collective game even if it is in last place. As talented players, mainly the Auxerrois Rayan Raveloson, 27 years old, and the member of the Union St-Gilloise, Loïc Lapoussin, 28 years old, have an above average playing standard. The latter remains at the disposal of the Belgian club and will be absent for this new fight. If two thirds of the squad play in Europe, most play in France and the rest in the local championship. Another well-known name is that of striker Hakim Abdallah who plays for Dinamo Bucharest and who has 14 caps and 1 goal for the national team. Center forward Warren Caddy, who plays in Swiss D2 with Lausanne Ouchy (7 goals this season), is the spearhead in attack, but he has still not scored a single goal in 5 caps. Note that two players, Ponti and Morgan, play at the same club, US Orléans in National (D3/France). For this match, coach Romuald Rakotondrabe should finally count on the return of Thierno Millimono, Arnaud Andrianantenaina and Sandro Tremoulet. The latter started in central defense during the defeat against Gambia. Note that the former Auxerre goalkeeper, Sonny Laiton, has been without a club since 1is July 2024, but continues to benefit from the preference of his coach in selection. Still in defense, Louis Démoléon who officiates at Enna Calcio in Serie D (Italian D4) and Radoniaina Rabemanantsoa also have the confidence of coach “Roro”. Finally for the anecdote, the Franco-Malagasy central midfielder, Clément Couturier of Villefranche in National, did not play the first leg, but should have a chance to start in this match. Knowing that he scored a goal in this CAN 2025 qualifying campaign. Finally, the old veteran Charles Andriamahitsinoro, called Carolus, who has dual Malagasy and Algerian nationality, is at 35 years old the little sensation. He scored the only goal against the Comoros, he who has 41 international caps and 11 goals with the Barea.
Conquer or perish
From now on, the Malagasy have no option but to win to keep a chance of qualifying in the last match against the Comoros. A draw would almost mean elimination. Note that the Malagasy Football Federation is demanding a victory on the green carpet during the last match lost against Gambia, following a complaint which is awaiting a response from CAF. In the meantime, Tunisia is favored by the predictions to win the 5e consecutive meeting in its history against Madagascar. The 4 previous matches having resulted in 4 Tunisian victories respectively in 2000: 1-0, 2001: 2-0, 2019: 3-0 and the first leg 1-0 2 months ago. That is to say 7 goals for the Carthage Eagles against zero for the Barea.
