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Ghana coach Chris Hughton, expressed optimism ahead of the highly anticipated 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers clash against Madagascar on Sunday.

Black Stars are currently leading their qualifying group, and a victory against bottom-placed Madagascar, who have no chance of qualifying, would secure their spot in next year's tournament in Ivory Coast.

"We have big respect for the players. They have a lot of good players in their team and good technical players, so as I said, we will treat them with great respect and we expect a difficult game," Hughton told the media in Antananarivo, as reported by Ghanafa.org.

He emphasized the importance of being prepared and playing to the best of their capabilities in order to achieve the desired results.

"If we play to the best of our capabilities, then we know we can get the results. But this is football. We have trained hard this week and I know the players will be very prepared," he said.

Black Stars have dedicated themselves to rigorous training sessions this week, ensuring that the players are well-prepared for the crucial qualifier, with Hughton expressing confidence in the team's abilities and their chances of success.

The match is scheduled to kick off at 14:00 GMT (2 pm Ghana time), setting the stage for an exciting and decisive encounter.