Madagascar's World Cup qualification hopes suffered a blow as they were soundly beaten 3-0 at home by Ghana on March 25, 2025. The Black Stars, led by their experienced European-based stars, put on a clinical display to secure a vital away victory in a tricky Group I encounter. Ghana took control early, scoring a crucial away goal within the first twenty minutes to settle any nerves. They added a second before halftime, effectively killing the game as a contest, and sealed the win with a third goal in the second period. Madagascar struggled to cope with Ghana's physicality and technical quality, rarely threatening the visitors' goal throughout the ninety minutes. The result was a statement of intent from Ghana, who immediately positioned themselves as group favorites, while leaving Madagascar with a mountain to climb after a heavy defeat in front of their own fans.