Madagascar manager Rakotondrabe Romuald has boasted about confidence in his team performing well at the 2022 African Nations Championship after booking their spot in the quarter-finals.
The Barea are debutants in the tournament and finished with a 100% record in Group C after thumping Sudan 3-0 on Monday.
Such a feat would have come as a surprise to many in a group that also contained two-time CHAN runners-up Ghana and defending champions Morocco who withdrew before the tournament began. Romuald however did not see things that way.
“Before the start of the tournament I never had doubts about my team. I was worried about this game [Sudan] because I watched Sudan against Ghana. All glory to my players,” Romuald said on the CAF website.
Madagascar will now face Mozambique for a place in the semi-finals and Romuald hopes the city of Constantine where they have executed all their group matches will be of advantage to them.
“Mozambique finished second behind Algeria. It was a very difficult group with Libya and Ethiopia. We are prepared and have the advantage of staying here in Constantine. I hope the supporters will stand by us in the next match,” Romuald continued.
“We slowed down in the second half [against Sudan] because we wanted to rest our players, especially our central defenders given we were leading by three goals in the first half.”
Romuald was then quizzed on whether Madagascar can contend for the CHAN trophy, but he responded cautiously.
“It’s too early, we are in the quarter-final. We focus on that first. It’s not because we won two games that we will talk about winning the trophy. We stay humble and remain focused on the next match,” he stated.
“As we did and in the game against Ghana, psychological preparation is key. It’s not easy for the players. To some it’s the very first time at this level, so we are doing our best to help them adapt.”
Madagascar join Algeria, Mozambique, Senegal, Ivory Coast and Ghana as the teams to have made it to the CHAN 2022 quarter-finals with one team from Group D and E left.
