CHAN 2024: Co-hosts Uganda eyeing fast start against Algeria; Niger & Guinea set for Group C familiar encounter
Uganda's opponents, Algeria, arrive as one of CHAN's most consistent performers, fresh off a runner-up finish in the last edition. They are undoubtedly seeking to lay down an early marker.
The highly anticipated TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN), branded as PAMOJA 2024, kicks off with a bang on Monday as co-hosts Uganda face a formidable challenge in their opening fixture against Algeria in Kampala. This high-stakes encounter is just one of two intriguing Group C matches set to ignite the tournament.
Uganda vs. Algeria: A Test for the Cranes
For Uganda, this clash against Algeria marks a pivotal moment. The Cranes, playing on home soil, are desperate to rewrite history. In their six previous CHAN appearances, they have never managed to advance beyond the group stage – a frustrating record they aim to break with the fervent support of their fans.
Their opponents, Algeria, arrive as one of CHAN’s most consistent performers, fresh off a runner-up finish in the last edition. They are undoubtedly seeking to lay down an early marker.
This Monday fixture will be the second meeting between the two nations at CHAN. Their debut encounter came on February 5, 2011, in Sudan, a match that also served as the CHAN debut for both sides. On that occasion, Algeria emerged victorious with a comfortable 2-0 win, thanks to goals from Abdelmoumene Djabou in the 18th minute and El Hilal Soudani midway through the second half.
Uganda’s record against North African opposition at CHAN paints a concerning picture. This will be their fourth such encounter, and they are yet to register a win against teams from the region. Besides their 2-0 loss to Algeria in 2011, they’ve suffered two defeats to Morocco: 3-1 in 2014 and a heavy 5-2 loss in 2020.
For Algeria, facing a host nation is not entirely new territory. In 2011, they drew 0-0 with hosts Sudan in the group stage, only to later lose 1-0 to the same side in the third-place play-off. This will also be Algeria’s fifth match against an East African opponent. Their record against teams from this region is strong, with victories over Uganda (2-0) and Ethiopia (1-0), alongside a draw and a loss against Sudan. Notably, the Desert Foxes have kept three clean sheets in these four previous matches, conceding just once, with only one team scoring in each encounter.
Uganda will need a fast start and a strong defensive display to counter Algeria’s prowess and ignite their campaign in front of the home crowd.
Niger vs. Guinea: Group C Drama Unfolds
Also in Kampala on Monday, Niger and Guinea will open their TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship journey in a Group C encounter. This match marks only the second time these two sides have met at the tournament finals, and both will be eager to secure a positive result.
Their first CHAN encounter was a memorable 2-2 draw in the 2016 edition, also in Group C. In that thrilling match, Niger twice took the lead through Mossi Moussa (37th minute) and Adamou Moussa (early second half). However, Guinea displayed resilience, responding immediately on both occasions with goals from Aboubacar Sylla (38th minute) and Kile Bangoura to snatch a point. In that 2016 tournament, Guinea advanced from the group alongside Tunisia, while Niger was eliminated with Nigeria. This new encounter offers Niger a chance at redemption and Guinea an opportunity to extend their strong recent record at CHAN.
This will be Niger’s 15th match at CHAN. They have faced 13 different opponents across their previous 14 games, with Ghana being the only team they had played more than once until now. Guinea now becomes the second side to face them twice at the tournament. Against West African opposition, Niger has played four matches, recording two wins (both against Ghana in 2011 and 2022), one draw (against Guinea in 2016), and one heavy loss to Nigeria. They have scored in all four of these CHAN meetings with West African teams, netting six goals while conceding six.
Meanwhile, Guinea has faced fellow West African nations five times before this game, clinching two wins and two draws, with just one loss. That sole loss came in the 2016 third-place playoff against Côte d’Ivoire. While they suffered a penalty shootout defeat to Mali in the 2020 semi-finals, Guinea remain impressively unbeaten in open play since 2018. This is also the second time Guinea are meeting the same team more than once at CHAN, having drawn twice with Zambia in 2016 and 2020.
As the CHAN PAMOJA 2024 officially kicks off, these two opening Group C encounters promise to deliver a captivating start to the continental championship.
