CHAN 2022 – Rakotondrabe: "Senegal will be favourites, but..."

Madagascar arrive in Algiers for this semi-final against Senegal. How are you approaching the game after playing almost the entire tournament in Constantine?

We played three games in Constantine and it went well. But now we're here in Algiers for this semi-final. Senegal are physically strong and aggressive. In a game like this you have to stay focused for 90 minutes and, above all, get your mindset right going in. We're ready for this game and ready to give everything.

During this CHAN, all the observers and the wider public have discovered Koloina and his left foot. You know him well, so is it a surprise to see him performing at this level?

What he's doing at this tournament is incredible. We knew he was capable of scoring goals like that. I've known him for a while now and I hope he keeps playing at this level.

Read more on the same subject: CHAN 2022 – Pape Thiaw: "Being in the final and going after the Grail"

What will be the keys to the game against Senegal?

Since qualifying for the semi-final, we've known it would be a tough game. We're working a lot on the team mentally. We've seen that Senegal are strong defensively and put in a lot of commitment. For tomorrow's game, we'll try to give the best of ourselves. For me, Senegal will be the favourites. But this kind of game will be decided by small details. Whoever wants it more and is the most focused will have the best chance of winning and reaching the final.

Isn't saying Senegal are favourites a way of taking the pressure off yourselves?

Senegal won the last AFCON and played at the World Cup in Qatar. They're a big nation in Africa. For Madagascar, this is our first CHAN appearance. They have three. Yes, they're favourites. That said, I'm proud of what we've done and produced so far. We'll do everything to win and I can't wait for tomorrow to see what we're capable of. It'll be 50-50.

Do you plan to rely on your team's attacking firepower, which we've seen from the start, or more on the collective?

From the start we've relied on the collective. In this team, we've never had individuals who made the difference on their own. We rely on solidarity and selflessness and we hope that continues. We have good momentum with these values and I hope we keep going like this all the way.

What will you say to your players?

The most important thing will be the mindset we start this game with. So we'll need to find the right words to motivate my players and push them to give their best.

What feedback have you had from home about your run?

We've come a long way. We want to make our people proud and repay all the support they give us. We want to bring more joy and smiles to Madagascar.