Comoros - Stefano Cusin: "It's a very good start"
Comoros coach Stefano Cusin is delighted with his side's strong start to their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, with two wins from two.
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Seeing the Comoros top Group I with 6 points after two games, ahead of Mali and Ghana, is a real surprise...
It's a very good start. The Comoros have taken as many points from two games as Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt or Ivory Coast. We're in excellent company (laughs)! We're very happy to have picked up those six points. We didn't really have a numerical target before these two fixtures. We take things one game at a time. We knew they would be two tough matches, against very different opponents.
It began with an attacking showcase against the Central African Republic's Wild Beasts...
I really liked the team's performance. There was a real attacking spirit and the crowd enjoyed the match. We scored four goals, and I think we could have scored more against a good side. It's a shame to have conceded two goals, both of them own goals.
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Why did you make several changes for the match against Ghana?
There was an injured player, and I didn't want to take any risks. And besides, you don't play the same way against Ghana as against the Central African Republic. We had to expect a more tactical game, and that's how it turned out. The players put in a very serious performance, with a lot of discipline and professionalism. It's an important win for a team like the Comoros, against a Ghanaian side who are among the best national teams in Africa and will be playing at the AFCON in Ivory Coast.
"Far too early to talk about the World Cup"
We can assume that in the Comoros, supporters buoyed by these results are already talking about the World Cup...
(Laughs) Yes, of course. It's natural, people are happy and some supporters have indeed talked about the World Cup. Obviously, as a national team coach, you can't talk about that after two games. It's far too early to do so. We have six points, which is very good, and if we're still well placed after six or seven games, then yes, we can talk about it more seriously. Let's not forget that we will face Mali, a very good side, Madagascar and Chad.
You were appointed at the end of September. Are you surprised by your team's performances, given that you started your tenure in unusual circumstances?
Indeed, for my first match against Cape Verde in France in October, a friendly (2-1), almost all of the selected players had decided not to come because of a dispute with the federation. We had to call up young players at short notice, and I liked the performance of the team and of the new players. Today, the Comoros are in a transitional period. There are senior figures we need, and young players coming through, because we also have to think about the future.