Konadu urges Madagascar respect

Ghana begins the quest to snatch the Cosafa Cup title, but must go through Madacascar first.

The head coach the side has applauded the quality of football played by the island nation, who play their fourth match in a week at the tournament, so far.

"Madagascar is a very good side and has played good football in the tournament so far. I watched them play [in their last game] and they were not a bad side at all," Maxwell Konadu said.

The last eight clash with the Group B winners is far from a foregone conclusion, despite Ghana's bigger pedigree.

"It is going to be difficult especially taking into consideration, our first time of playing in this tournament. The Southern part of Africa have a unique way of playing, they have abundance of talents here."

"We just have to be careful and cautious. The match is going to be interesting and we hope the best team will carry the day."

Ghana have taken a youthful team into the tournament due to a need for exposure.

"We brought on some very young players who we think have the potential to be the future. So we gave them the opportunity to come and have a feel of how the tournament is being organized and played and I think from here, when they get the opportunity to play, there will be better players."

"I am very sure these very young players will go far. We know we cannot play our first team because of various reasons but this team we have put up is a very good team as well."

The winner of the Ghana-Madagascar match takes on Namibia in the first semifinal at the Moruleng Stadium on Thursday followed by Botswana against either Malawi or Madagascar.