FOOTBALL – MADAGASCAR CUP – Thirteen Pro League clubs in the round of 16
The Pro League teams have almost all validated their ticket for the round of 16 of the Madagascar Cup. Thirteen meetings took place on April 21.
One of the postponed matches between AS Fanalamanga and Kakambary Analanjirofo was held in Ambatondrazaka on Wednesday. The victory went to the Pro League club, with a river score of 11 to 1. The last postponed match between Asa Diana and FC Landrique du Sava will be played later in Ambanja. The date has yet to be set.
Nine of the clubs in the elite championship snatched their victory without forcing too much. Uscafoot notably defeated FC Viva Analamanga in a crushing manner by 9 to 1. Cosfa sharply beat Fosa Académie Boeny by 5 to 0 in Mahajanga. And Zanakala FC clearly disposed of AS 3A Amoron’Imania by 5 to 1 in Fianarantsoa. Some had difficulty snatching victory. Ajesaia narrowly won after a penalty shootout against Fanahisoa Atsinanana in Toamasina (2-2 tab 3-1). Inate FC Rouge also narrowly won after a penalty shootout against Requin Bleu Analamanga (0-0 tab 4-2).
The big clubs accustomed to the title like Fosa Juniors FC dismissed Zoya FC Boeny at the end of the suspense with a tight score of 3 to 2. And the defending champion, Elgeco Plus, was only able to overthrow Toulon AC Analamanga in added time (1-0). KFCA Ambanja was the only Pro League club eliminated in the first round, beaten 0-1 by Ased Diana. And another D1 team from Ihorombe, FC Ilakaka, qualified for the next stage after eliminating AS Comato Atsimo-Andrefana (2-1).
“The eighths are scheduled for May 5. The match schedule will be established according to geographical proximity, as during the sixteenth rounds. It will be from the quarter-finals that there will be a draw,” confides Helly Zafinimanga, head of the competitions department within the federation. The cup is expected to be completed before June 30, the deadline for the country’s representative team to enter the Caf Cup.