At the pre-match presser, Romuald Rakotondrabe stated they didn't come to Ghana for holidays and that they are here for nothing but the three points.
The performance they exhibited on the day against the Black Stars earlier today was really a top-tier and had some opportunities but couldn't make it count- an explosive performance which clearly confirmed what the coach indicated earlier.
Despite the impressive display, the Malagasy ended up losing narrowly by 1-0 having conceded an Inaki Williams header at the death of the game to succumb to a very painful loss.
In an interview after the game, the 58-year-old believes they lost as a results of hard-luck having failed to make good use of the chances that came their way.
He added the campaign just started and they will put in extra effort against Chad in Antananarivo in their second group game 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," Romuald Rakotondrabe said after the game.
"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]."
