Preview: Madagascar vs Comoros - prediction, team news, lineups

Madagascar and the Comoros will face off in the bronze medal match of the COSAFA Cup at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on Sunday afternoon. 

Later in the day, Angola will be aiming to defend the title when they take on the host nation South Africa in the grand final at the same venue. 

Match preview

Madagascar earned their place in the knockout rounds of the COSAFA Cup by finishing top of the three-team Group C, beating Tanzania 1-0 in their opening match before playing to a 1-1 draw against Eswatini. 

However, Barea’s hopes of reaching the COSAFA Cup final for the first time were brought to a shuddering halt on Friday afternoon, when they came up against the defending champions Angola and were beaten 4-1. 

Angola entered the match as heavy favourites, and it did not take them long to assert their dominance in the match, with Depu opening the scoring for Palancas Negras inside the first 20 minutes from the penalty spot. 

The former Gil Vicente attacker stuck away a rebound from a second spot-kick to give the reigning champs a two-goal cushion before the interval, while Mika Razafimahatana netted a consolation in stoppage time to salvage some pride. 

Recent history suggests that this should be a close match, with these two sides having faced each other three times in the past year, winning one game each either side of a 1-1 draw last September. 

Meanwhile, the Comoros will be featuring in a second successive match for third place at the COSAFA Cup, but they will be hoping not to leave empty-handed this time, having lost to Mozambique on penalties last year. 

Les Coelacanthes have not featured in the final of this competition, and never really looked likely to do so this year after going two goals down inside the first 15 minutes of their semi-final clash against South Africa on Friday. 

Ibrahim Madi pulled one back before the break, but Kamogelo Sebelebele restored the hosts' two-goal advantage at the hour mark, and all hopes of a comeback for the Comoros were ended when Naimoudine Assane was sent off with a little over 10 minutes to play.

What has become evident about Stefano Cusin’s side in recent times is that they rely heavily on keeping clean sheets to get results, and struggle to mount comebacks after going behind in games.

Madagascar COSAFA CUP form:

Comoros COSAFA CUP form:

Team News

Madagascar came through their match against Angola unscathed, but Romuald Rakotondrabe made four changes at half time, one of which was bringing on Razafimahatana, who got on the scoresheet and will likely be given the nod from the off in this match. 

Fenohasina Gilles Razafimaro, Roland Rakotonandrasana and Onjaniaina Hasinirina were the other three players brought on at the interval in the semi-final and are all in contention for a start this weekend. 

Naimoudine Assane lasted just 30 minutes on the pitch before he was given his marching orders for two bookable offences against South Africa, which will likely see Haslane Ahmed retain his place in midfield. 

The Comoros looked at their most dangerous down the left flank through Ibrahim Madi and Affane Djambae in the last match, but Ibroihim Djoudja in attack had a poor outing and may drop to the bench for this one. 

Madagascar possible starting lineup:

Lalain'arinjaka; Randriamanampisoa, Ratsimbazafy, Randrianirina, Rakotonandrasana; Tokiniana, Hasinirina; Lalaina; Razafimahatana, Razafimaro; Mantasoa

Comoros possible starting lineup:

Mchindra; I Mohamed, Kari, Ali; N Ahmed, Z Mohamed, H Ahmed, Djembe, Madi; Hadji; Djoudja

We say: Madagascar 0-1 Comoros

While the Comoros conceded three against Bafana Bafana in the semi-final, two of those goals were fairly unfortunate - one deflected own goal and another when they were chasing the game at 2-1 down. They kept clean sheets in their first two matches of the competition, though, and we feel they may be able to do so again in this one. 

Written by
Devesh Jaganath

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