In the pre-match press conference, Romuald Rakotondrabe emphasized that Madagascar didn’t come to Ghana for holidays; they were determined to secure nothing less than three points.
During the match against the Black Stars, their performance lived up to expectations, showcasing top-tier skills and creating opportunities. However, despite their impressive display, they narrowly lost 1-0 to an Inaki Williams header in the dying moments of the game.
In a post-match interview, the 58-year-old coach attributed their loss to hard luck, expressing disappointment in their failure to capitalize on chances. He emphasized that the tournament had just begun and pledged extra effort in their upcoming match against Chad in Antananarivo on Monday, November 20, 2023.
“This is just the beginning of the tournament. We have lost 1-0, but it is too early to decide who qualifies. We are behind, but I believe we will catch up against Chad on Monday,” said Romuald Rakotondrabe. He took responsibility for the loss, acknowledging missed chances and the impact of Ghana’s tactical changes in the second half.
“We had the better chances and we hit the bar. But that is football; we missed our chance, and they scored theirs. I take responsibility because I am the coach. I take the blame for what happened.”
“In the first 45 minutes, we were able to challenge Ghana. In the second half, he brought Majeed Ashimeru, and that changed everything. I told the boys to stop him because he brought energy. We tried and tried [but it did not work].”
