The second leg semi-finals of the Madagascar Elite Division 1 championship will all take place at By-Pass this weekend. Disciples FC will host Ajesaia on Saturday, and Elgeco Plus will welcome CFFA.
Nothing is decided yet. The two top-ranked teams from the Pure Play Football League (PFL) conference phase, Disciples FC and Elgeco Plus, need to learn from their defeats in the first-leg semi-finals held last weekend in Iavoloha. Ajesaia, the 2007 and 2009 Madagascar champion and the only survivor from the Northern conference, defeated the Southern conference leader and 2024 national champion, Disciples FC, 1-0 on Saturday. Meanwhile, 2022 champion CFFA pulled off an upset (2-1) on Sunday against the defending champion and six-time national cup winner, Elgeco Plus. Both second-leg matches will be played at the By-Pass stadium. Disciples FC will host Ajesaia on Saturday at 2:30 PM. “We are playing the return leg in Tana at the request of our many supporters, the students of the university city,” said Ajesaia coach Yves Rabemaromanga. “Our strategy worked in the first leg. We did everything possible to avoid conceding and to score as much as we could… We will strive to triple our efforts in preparation for the second leg.”
Disciples FC coach, Rija Juvence Rakotomandimby, will focus on correcting the errors from the first match: “The players struggled at the start of the match, which allowed the opposing team to play with confidence. Ajesaia ensured their defensive block held firm, and we recorded many technical errors.”
For their part, Elgeco Plus will host the Andoharanofotsy team on their home turf. “Our weaknesses were in the midfield during the first half. We changed tactics and it worked in the second half. We view this second leg as a final. We aim to win at home,” stressed Elgeco Plus coach Oelison Rafanomezantsoa, known as “Careca.” CFFA coach Franck Rajaonarisamba noted, “Playing at home in front of our fans was key to our first-leg victory, alongside our intensive preparation. It boosted the players’ morale. Both teams know each other well. Certainly, we scored two goals, but we—especially the players—do not take the first-leg victory for granted. We are preparing properly for the second leg and hope to qualify for the final.”
Both Elgeco Plus and Disciples FC must secure victory in the second leg by a margin of at least two goals to hope to qualify for the Madagascar Elite D1 championship final.
In the event of a draw, both teams will proceed directly to a penalty shootout.
Serge Rasanda
Captured & Published at: 2026-06-19 02:30:03 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/06/football-demi-finales-retour-disciples.html