Madagascar coach Romuald Rakotondrabe has chosen not to evaluate the Black Stars based on their recent performances in friendly matches ahead of their clash on Friday.
The two teams are gearing up to face each other at the Baba Yara Stadium in their initial qualifying match for the 2026 World Cup.
While Madagascar has maintained an unbeaten record in their last three games, Ghana enters the match with the aftermath of two disappointing defeats against Mexico and the United States from last month.
Despite expressing confidence in his team, Rakotondrabe stated that he will refrain from forming judgments about his opponents based on their recent outings in friendly matches.
“I can never judge the Black Stars based on two friendlies. Friendlies are different from qualifiers.”
He reiterated his optimism, saying, “We didn’t come to Ghana for holidays. We came here to win the game.”
“It’s very true that the last time we beat Ghana was in 2015, and that was a friendly. We are going to do everything possible to defeat Ghana on Friday,” he added.
The two teams have faced each other twice in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, with Ghana securing a 3-0 victory at Cape Coast last year and the last meeting ending in a goalless draw.
