Image copyright Presidence Madagascar Image caption Nearly 40 people were injured a stampede at an international football match

At least one person has been killed and nearly 40 injured in a stampede at a Madagascar football stadium.

The incident occurred just before the start of Madagascar's match against Senegal in the qualifying round of the Africa Cup of Nations, local media said.

Thousands of spectators were still trying to get into the stadium through the only entrance.

Two of those hurt are in a critical condition in the capital, Antananarivo.

Many people had been queuing up since the early hours of the morning for a 14:30 (12:30 GMT) kick-off at the Stade Municipal de Mahamasina.

French radio station RFI reported there was a rush to enter the stadium when the gates were opened.

Image copyright AFP Image caption The match ended in a 2-2 draw

"We were waiting in the queue from six o'clock in the morning. We were metres from the gate when the stampede took place. I was trampled on the back, but my backpack cushioned the impact," Rivo Raberisaona told the AFP news agency.

"I do not understand why there was only one gate open into the stadium when it's such a big match," said Henintsoa Mialy Harizafy, whose uncle was injured in the stampede.

The game, featuring stars such as Liverpool forward Sadio Mané, was played as planned in front of a capacity crowd and ended in a 2-2 draw.

Stampedes at stadiums in Africa occur on a regular basis, often due to poor crowd control in over-crowded stadiums.

A stadium stampede in Angola killed at least 17 people in February 2017.

In July 2017, eight people - including seven children - died in a stampede at a match in Malawi.

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The incident occurred just before the start of Madagascar’s match against Senegal in the qualifying round of the Africa Cup of Nations

Thousands of spectators were trying to get into the stadium through the only entrance for a 12:30 kick-off at the Stade Municipal de Mahamasina.

The game, featuring stars such as Liverpool forward Sadio Mané, was played as planned in front of a capacity crowd and ended in a 2-2 draw.</s>At least one person was killed and 37 injured after a stampede broke out at the entrance to a football stadium in Madagascar. The stampede occurred at Mahamasina Stadium in the country’s capital Antananarivo ahead of kick-off between Madagascar and Senegal. Witnesses said thousands of fans had been gathered outside the venue since early morning.The Ministry of Youth and Sport published the names of those injured in the incident.</s>At least one dead, 37 injured in Madagascar stadium stampede: hospital

Antananarivo -At least one person was killed and 37 were injured in a stampede at a football stadium in Madagascar´s capital Antananarivo, hospital sources said Sunday.

The stampede occurred at the entrance to the venue just before kickoff between Madagascar and Senegal, the city´s Hrja Hospital spokesman Oliva Alain Rakoto told reporters, adding that "for the moment" the accident toll is one dead and 37 injured.</s>Antananarivo, Sep 9: At least one person was killed and 37 were injured in a stampede at a football stadium in Madagascar´s capital Antananarivo, reports said on Sunday.

"There was a stampede in front of the stadium (...) for now we have a report of one dead and 37 injured," say reports.

The stampede occurred at the entrance to the venue just before kickoff between Madagascar and Senegal, the city's Hrja Hospital spokesman Oliva Alain Rakoto told reporters, adding that "for the moment" the accident toll is one dead and 37 injured.</s>At least one person was killed and 37 injured in a stampede at a football stadium in Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo, a hospital official said Sunday.

The stampede occurred at the entrance to the venue just before kickoff between Madagascar and Senegal, the city’s Hrja Hospital spokesman Oliva Alain Rakoto told reporters, adding that “for the moment” the toll is one dead and 37 injured.

Witnesses said thousands of fans had been massed outside Mahamasina Stadium since early in the morning.

Kickoff for the Africa Cup of Nations match had been set for 2:30 pm (1130 GMT).</s>At least one dead, 37 injured in Madagascar stadium stampede

The stampede occurred at the entrance to the venue just before kickoff between Madagascar and Senegal, the city's Hrja Hospital spokesman Oliva Alain Rakoto told reporters, adding that "for the moment" the toll is one dead and 37 injured.</s>ANTANANARIVO, Sept 9 — At least one person was killed and 37 were injured in a stampede at a football stadium in Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo, hospital sources said today.

The stampede occurred at the entrance to the venue just before kickoff between Madagascar and Senegal, the city’s Hrja Hospital spokesman Oliva Alain Rakoto told reporters, adding that “for the moment” the accident toll is one dead and 37 injured. — AFP</s>ANTANANARIVO:- At least one person was killed and 37 injured in a stampede at a football stadium in Madagascar's capital Antananarivo, a hospital official said Sunday. "In all, there are 41 patients that entered the hospital including one dead on the spot and two in fairly precarious states," Oliva Alison Rakoto, director of the Hrja Hospital, told AFP. "The two critically injured patients have head and thoracic trauma." She said some of the injured have already been discharged. The stampede occurred at the entrance to the venue just before kickoff between Madagascar and Senegal.</s>AT LEAST ONE person was killed and nearly 40 were injured in a stampede ahead of an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier Sunday in which Madagascar hit back twice to draw 2-2 with Senegal.

The casualty figures were confirmed by the director of a hospital in the Malagasy capital Antananarivo, where the Group A match was staged in the 30,000-capacity Mahamasina Stadium.

Witnesses told AFP there was a stampede at an entrance to the venue just before the 11.30am (2:30pm local time) kick-off.

One person was killed and 37 injured, including two who were said to be in a serious condition with head and chest injuries.

Fans had queued outside the stadium nine hours before the start of the eagerly-awaited match with Liverpool star Sadio Mane in the line-up of 2018 World Cup qualifiers Senegal.

The result left Senegal and Madagascar — who lie 83 places below their opponents in the world rankings — as co-Group A leaders with four points each after two rounds.

Senegal beat Equatorial Guinea 3-0 in the first round 15 months ago while consistently improving Madagascar triumphed 3-1 in Sudan.

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At least one person is killed and nearly 40 others are injured in a stampede at a football stadium in Madagascar.