Madagascar’s remarkable Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) journey will take a hit as midfielder Marco Ilaimaharitra is set to miss their last-16 clash against the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday due to suspension.
Ilaimaharitra, who played a key role in Madagascar’s stunning victories over Burundi and Nigeria, received yellow cards in two group stage matches, resulting in a one-game suspension. The midfielder, who plays for Belgian club Racing Club Charleroi, scored the winning goal in the 1-0 victory over Burundi with a spectacular free-kick and was instrumental in his team’s historic 2-0 win against Nigeria.
Despite his absence, Madagascar will look to continue their fairytale run in the tournament. If they overcome DR Congo in Alexandria, Ilaimaharitra will be available for the quarter-final, where they could face either Ghana or Tunisia.
In similar cases, South Africa’s Themba Zwane and Benin’s Steve Mounie will also miss their respective last-16 matches after accumulating two yellow cards during the group stage.
AFCON rules dictate that players who received only one yellow card in the group stage will have their slates wiped clean as they enter the knockout phase.
