AFCON Qualifiers: Madagascar Defeats Sudan 3-1

Madagascar stunned Sudan 3-1 in the first match of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification Group A game at the Al-Ubayyid Stadium in Al-Ubayyid on Friday night.

The win takes Barea to the top of the Group A standings with three points, while the Falcons of Jediane are placed at the bottom without a single point. Barea were the better side in the opening stages of the encounter with Paulin Voavy looking lively upfront for the visitors against the Falcons of Jediane.


The visitors deservedly took the lead four minutes later after Faneva Andriatsima broke free and he hit the back of the net with a powerful shot to make it 1-0 to Madagascar.  The visitors doubled their lead 17 minutes into the second-half after Carolus Andriamatsinoro was fouled in the Sudan box, and the referee blew his whistle for a penalty. The attacker then stepped up and hit the back of the net to make it 2-0 to Madagascar with the Falcons of Jediane supporters stunned inside the Al-Ubayyid Stadium.


The Falcons of Jediane did pull one back through Ather El Tahir, who hit the back of the net with a well-taken free-kick in the 73rd minute, as Sudan looked to come back from behind. However, Andriantsima had other ideas as the Barea striker grabbed his brace from close range - making it 3-1 to Madagascar with 11 minutes left on the clock.