Madagascar earned a solid 2-0 victory over the Central African Republic in a CAF African Nations Championship qualifier on August 13th, 2025. The home win at a packed stadium in Antananarivo gives Madagascar a significant advantage heading into the second leg of this qualifying tie. The Barea, as the Malagasy team is known, controlled the match from the outset, using their home support to great effect. They broke the deadlock in the first half and added a second goal after the interval to put the tie firmly in their grasp. The Central African Republic struggled to create clear chances against a well-organized Madagascar defense. This result puts Madagascar on the brink of qualification for the next round of the tournament, which features exclusively home-based players.