Rakotondrabe: Photo Credit: L’Express newspaper.
Madagascar coach Romuald Rakotondrabe has set getting past the group stages as his primary target for the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) finals.
The coach disclosed the target in an interview with Madagascar’s L’Express after regrouping for camp training in Mahamasina on Monday.
“The first objective is to get out of the group. Then, we will aim to go a little further, better than before. It will be better to evolve in a group of four because getting out of a group of three is more complicated,” he said.
Rakotondrabe told L’Express reporter Serge Rasanda that he had lined up two friendlies ahead of CHAN, as most of his players lack match fitness.
“Friendly matches are more practical and effective than training. These players lack matches in their legs. And we saw it during the double confrontation against Eswatini,” he is quoted saying.
The coach said he would not be putting himself under pressure to improve on their bronze finish at the 2022 CHAN edition, insisting that the tournament dynamics are different.
“We are not referring to the edition of two years ago. The reason is that these two competitions are different; the one in 2023 and this year. The players are not the same,” he added.
The Barea qualified for the CHAN finals courtesy of goal aggregate despite losing 0-1 to Eswatini in the second round, second leg match at the Côte d'Or stadium in Mauritius last month. The islanders had won the second round, first leg match 2-0 at Lucas Moripe Stadium in South Africa on December 21, 2024.
Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda will host the CHAN finals, a competition restricted to home domestic league players, from February 1 to 28 2025.
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