There is only one month and one week left. Local pre-selected players have been in training for nearly three weeks. Twenty-seven players from Analamanga and other regions including Androy, Ihorombe, Sava, Diana, Atsinanana, and Analanjirofo have been retained to continue preparations, down from the initial fifty to over thirty. Arriving from France yesterday, the two coaches, Boualem Mankour and former Barea captain Johan Paul, will join the group this Friday to take charge of the local players. These U23 Barea are preparing for the second round of qualifiers for the U23 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Madagascar was exempted from the first round following the withdrawal of the Comoros. The Barea will face the South African Bafana-Bafana in the second round, with the first leg on November 9 and the return leg on November 17. The local pre-selection team plans to play its first test match this Sunday against the Moramanga selection. “We began tactical work and game strategy a week ago. We will now plan and work together with Boualem and Johan Paul for the remainder of the preparation,” emphasized coach Herimanitra Rabeharisoa.
The evaluation and final selection will begin this weekend. For now, the players are not yet in a closed training camp and are not housed at the same site. The twenty or so expatriate players are expected to join the group on the eve of the match.
Captured & Published at: 2026-10-02 06:26:14 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/10/football-qualifications-can-u23-les.html