Four new players for Madagascar squad

Madagascar coach Romuald Rakotondrabe has added four new players to his squad for next month’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers after concluding a scouting trip to Europe, the Malagasy Football Federation said on Tuesday. 

He named 27 players for the island nation’s opening two matches in Group A, away against top seeds Tunisia on 5 September in Tunis and then the Comoros Islands at the same venue on 9 September.

The new call ups are striker Ryan Ponti, 25, from French third division club US Orléans, who was born in Reunion and Nicolas Fontaine, a 24-year-old left wing with Belgian second division side La Louvrière, who was born in France.

Also included was the 29-year-old French-born midfielder Johan N'Zi from Lokomotiv Plovdiv in Bulgaria and goalkeeper Geordan Dupire, 30, who plays for the Luxembourg club Swift Hesperange.

Barea, as the Madagascar national team are known, play the Comoros Islands in neutral Tunisia because none of the stadiums in Madagascar have been passed fit for use in international competition after inspection by the Confederation of African Football.

Madagascar share the same World Cup qualifying group as the Comoros Islands and the two islands played at Soccer City in Johannesburg in June, in a match that the Malagasy won 2-1.

Madagascar also have Gambia in their group in their bid to qualify for the 2025 finals in Morocco.

The top two teams in the group advance to the finals.

SQUAD:

Goalkeepers: Geordan Dupire (Swift Hesperange, Luxembourg), Teva Gardies, Sonny Laiton (both unattached), Zakanirina Rakotoasimbola (Elgeco Plus)

Defenders: Kenji-Van Boto (Pau, France), Louis Demoleon (Enna, Italy), Thomas Fontaine (Sochaux, France), Titouan Fortun (Dijon, France), Thierno Millimono (Mondorf-Les-Bains, Luxembourg), Rado Niaina Rabemanantsoa, Elysee Randriamanampisoa (both Elgeco Plus), Soloniaina Rajo Nirina Razafindraibearimihanta (St Denis, Reunion), Sandro Tremoulet (unattached)

Midfielders: Ibrahim Amada (unattached), Tokifandreszena Andriamanjato (Saint Pauloise, Reunion), Johan N'Zi (Lokomotiv Plovdiv, Bulgaria), Andy Rakotondrajoa (Disciples FC), Tokiniaina Randriatsiferana (Saint Pauloise, Reunion), Rayan Raveloson (AJ Auxerre, France)

Forwards: Hakim Abdallah (Dinamo Bucharest, Romania), Dorian Bertrand (St Denis, Reunion), Warren Caddy (Paris FC, France), Nicolas Fontaine (La Louvrière, Belgium), Loic Lapoussin (Union Saint Gilloise, Belgium), Ryan Ponti (Orleans, France), Tendry Randrianarijaona (Disciples FC), Arnaud Randrianantenaina (El Gouna, Egypt).