Madagascar will face off with Ghana in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualification Group E match at the Mahamasina Municipal Stadium in Antananarivo on Sunday.
Kick-off is 6pm CAT (SA, GMT+2).
CURRENT FORM
Barea suffered a 2-0 defeat to Central African Republic (CAR) away on 27 March and they remain winless in Group E having registered one draw and three defeats - including two successive losses.
Madagascar are placed fourth in the Group E standings with the Southern African side's hopes of qualifying for the Afcon finals having ended due to their failure to win matches.
Meanwhile, Ghana managed to hold Angola to a 1-1 draw away on 27 March as the Black Stars maintained their unbeaten record in Group E having registered two draws and two victories.
The West African giants are placed at the top of the Group E standings - a point ahead of second-placed CAR and a win over Madagascar would see Ghana qualify for the finals.
TEAM NEWS
Madagascar will be without Rayan Raveloson, who plays for French club AJ Auxerre, due to family reasons as the 26-year-old midfielder's wife is expecting their first child.
Ghana, on the other hand, have had to hand Hamburger SV forward Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer a call-up as a replacement for Atheltic Bilbao star Inaki Williams who is out injured.
WHAT WAS SAID?
Madagascar coach Romuald Rakotondrabe
"The last five days of preparation are devoted to specific work, to the consolidation of technical tactics and game strategy," Rakotondrabe said on LeExpress Madagascar.
"Not to mention the fitness session for some players who have already been on vacation for some time.
“The objective is to secure the victory or at worst a draw after not qualifying for the 2023 Afcon. I hope that this cohesion and thisolidarity will be on show on the day of the match."
Ghana head coach Chris Hughton
“With regards to getting results in Madagascar, I can’t promise anything," Hughton said in a press conference.
"There isn’t one coach that will sit here and promise that they would get results in the next game. Not one.
“The only thing I can promise you is that we will have a team that will be determined to do that. We will have a coaching staff and a head coach that is determined to do that."
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Madagascar and Ghana have met four times across all competitions. It is deadlocked as the two teams have recorded two wins each.
Their last meeting in the 2023 Afcon qualifiers ended in a 3-0 win in favour of Ghana in Cape Coast in June 2022.