CHAN 2024: Morocco set up final showdown with Madagascar

_________________
 2024 AFRICAN NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP 

 SEMIFINALS: AUGUST 26 RESULTS 
🇲🇬 Madagascar 1-0 Sudan 🇸🇩  
🇲🇦 Morocco 1-1 Senegal 🇸🇳 (Morocco win 5-3 on penalties)
_________________________________

Either Madagascar or Morocco will secure the ultimate bragging rights at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 when they face off in Kenya's capital Nairobi this Saturday (August 30) in the final of this competition of many firsts.

The two sides will face off in a final showdown at the Moi International Sports Centre after reigning supreme in their respective semi-final duels on Tuesday (August 26): Madagascar snatching it late against Sudan in Dar es Salaam, before Morocco triumphed in a penalty shootout against Senegal in Kampala. 

At a first ever CHAN edition to be hosted by three countries — Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, all of whom progressed from the group stage, before being knocked out in the quarter-finals — Madagascar have delivered the boldest statement yet at this eighth edition.

At their debut CHAN appearance two years ago in Algeria, the Barea took bronze after impressively finishing third. They have now bettered that performance by making it all the way to the final after edging Sudan 1-0 in Dar es Salaam in Tuesday's first semifinal in which the islanders were reduced to ten men.

Fenohasina Razafimaro was sent off in the 78th minute after picking up two yellow cards in the same game, the Malagasy forward's second booking issued for smacking his Sudanese minder, Mohamed Al-Rasheed Mahmoud, in the neck.

Outnumbered but not out, Madagascar managed to stave off attack after attack in a goalless contest that threatened to drag into a penalty shootout — until substitute Toky Niania Rakotondraibe produced the decisive strike with the winner four minutes to the end of extra time.

Sitting nice and pretty in the final, Madagascar leaned back to learn the identity of their final opponent, as two-time champions Morocco faced off with title holders Senegal miles away in Uganda's capital Kampala in the second semi-final.

In a king-of-the-jungle clash inside the den that is Mandela National Stadium, the Atlas Lions battled with the Lions of Teranga for that coveted remaining spot.

With traffic to and fro under floodlights, Joseph Layousse Samb headed Senegal in front 16 minutes into the contest to give the defending champions the edge with his second goal at this edition.

But the lead did not last long. Seven minutes after that opening goal,  Sabir Bougrine swept the ball beyond the reach of a flying, outstretched Senegalese goalkeeper Marc Diouf and into the back of the net to level matters to also lock in his second of the campaign.

Eventually, the contest was forced into extra time and then a penalty shootout. Seyni Mbaye Ndiaye was Senegal's first taker and he saw his penalty blast off the bar to give Morocco the advantage.

In the end, that early miss by Ndiaye proved decisive, as the holders relinquished their title in a 5-3 penalty shootout.

Morocco on course for history

If two-time champions Morocco go on to lift the CHAN 2024 title this Saturday, they will become the record winners of this competition, an achievement they currently share with DR Congo. With Senegal out of contention for the top prize, Morocco remain the only team to retain the title.

At their debut appearance in 2014, the Atlas Lions were knocked out by Nigeria in the quarter-finals and failed to make it past the group stage in the subsequent edition (2016).

As 2018 hosts, Morocco beat Libya 3-1 in extra time to qualify for the final and eventually win their first title, and went on to retain their title at the 2020 edition, where they thrashed Cameroon 4-0 in the semifinals on their way to beating Mali 2-0 in the final.

At this current edition, the Atlas Lions have the tournament's current top scorer in the form of Oussama Lamlioui, who has found the back of the net four times. Beneficiaries of an own goal (against Angola in the group stage), Morocco's other goal scorers at this edition are Sabir Bougrine (2), Mohamed Hrimat (2) and Imad Riahi (1).

They have conceded four goals — three in the group stage and one in the semifinals against Senegal.

Senegal out-roared

For the Lions of Teranga, their journey at their fourth CHAN appearance will conclude this Friday when they face with Sudan in the third place match at Mandela National Stadium — the same venue where they knocked out co-hosts Uganda to reach the semis and where they have been eliminated by Morocco.

Senegal took part in the inaugural CHAN 2009 edition and got knocked out at the semi-finals, losing 1-2 to Zambia to settle for fourth place.

After failing to make it past the group stage at the subsequent 2011 edition, Senegal returned five editions later to roar their way to the 2022 title.

To get their paws on the ultimate prize, the Teranga Lions topped their group, then edged Mauritania 1-0 in the quarter-finals, before producing an identical result against Madagascar in the semi-finals and beating hosts Algeria 5-4 on penalties in the final.

At this 2024 Pamoja edition in East Africa, Senegal's four goals in five games have been scored by three differents player: Joseph Layousse (two), Christian Gomis and Oumar Ba. They have been airtight at the back, conceding only two goals — one coming against Congo in the group stage and another against Morocco in the semifinals.

Meanwhile, on the eve of the big one, Sudan — having once again come up short at the semi-finals — will face off with Senegal in Friday's third place match in Kampala.

Then the attention will turn to Nairobi.