Share

Madagascar star suspended for Cup of Nations last-16 match

Cairo - Marco Ilaimaharitra of fairytale Africa Cup of Nations last-16 qualifiers Madagascar will miss the match against the Democratic Republic of Congo in Egypt on Sunday because of a suspension.

The midfielder, who played the full 90 minutes in wins over Burundi and Nigeria and a draw with Guinea, was yellow-carded in two of those matches, resulting in a one-game ban.

Ilaimaharitra, of Belgian club Racing Club Charleroi, scored the only goal of the match against Burundi direct from a free-kick and then helped stun three-time former champions Nigeria.

Should Madagascar eliminate the Congolese in Alexandria, he will be eligible for a quarter-final against Ghana or Tunisia.

South Africa midfielder Themba Zwane and Benin forward Steve Mounie have also been ruled out of last-16 matches due to one-match bans after being yellow-carded in two games.

Zwane will have to watch his country play hosts Egypt in Cairo from the stands Saturday and Mounie has been sidelined when Benin face Morocco in the Egyptian capital 24 hours earlier.

Players yellow-carded once during the group stage have had them cancelled, meaning they all start the four-round knockout phase with clean slates.

Ghana defender John Boye was the only player red-carded in the first round and has already served his one-match ban.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1472 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2251 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE