The first-leg matches of the second preliminary round for the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) have provided a clear picture of some teams’ paths to qualification.
With one match remaining—Burundi vs. Angola, scheduled for Thursday—several teams have already taken commanding positions, while others face an uncertain road ahead.
Guinea delivered a dominant performance on Friday, securing a 4-1 victory over Guinea-Bissau to edge closer to their fourth CHAN appearance.
Angola, Zambia, and Madagascar also secured away victories, defeating Lesotho (2-0), Mozambique (3-0), and Eswatini (2-0) respectively.
Joining them with strong performances were Sudan, who overcame Ethiopia 2-0, and Ivory Coast, who triumphed 2-0 against Burkina Faso.
Cameroon and South Sudan Edge Ahead; Mali Stumbles
South Sudan earned a narrow advantage with a 3-2 home win against Rwanda, while Mauritania shocked Mali, a two-time CHAN finalist, with a 1-0 victory.
The return leg in Bamako is set to be a fiery contest as Mali looks to overturn the deficit.
Cameroon also achieved a slim victory, defeating the Central African Republic 1-0, setting up a favorable scenario for their second-leg clash.
Deadlocks Keep Suspense Alive
Several matches ended in draws, leaving everything to play for in the return legs.
Equatorial Guinea and Congo, Ghana and Nigeria, Chad and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia and Senegal, as well as Togo and Niger, all failed to produce a winner.
Notably, Togo and Niger managed to score in their 1-1 stalemate, adding an extra layer of intrigue to their upcoming encounter.
Return Fixtures Set to Decide Fate
The second-leg matches are scheduled to begin on Wednesday and will conclude on Sunday.
Teams that secured away wins will look to consolidate their leads, while those facing deficits must rise to the occasion to keep their qualification hopes alive.
The CHAN tournament, reserved exclusively for players competing in their home leagues, remains a vital platform for showcasing local talent across Africa.
As the qualifiers progress, the competition’s intensity and stakes continue to rise.
CHAN 2024 (Q) : le coup de gueule du Burkina Faso après la Côte d’Ivoire #football https://t.co/mgcR74lcXw pic.twitter.com/Itgros0lAk
— Afrik-Foot (@afrikfoot) December 23, 2024
