Through on penalties, Sudan complete CHAN 2024 semi-finals cast

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 2024 AFRICAN NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP 

 SEMIFINALS: AUGUST 26 FIXTURES 
🇲🇬 Madagascar v Sudan 🇸🇩  
🇲🇦 Morocco v Senegal 🇸🇳
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And then there were four! This historic African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 that got under way exactly three weeks ago is now in its final bend as the semi-finals cast is now complete — Sudan the last side to join the last-four crew after beating Algeria 4-2 on penalties in Zanzibar City on Saturday.

Mohamed Madani was the hero for Sudan as his two penalty saves ejected the pre-tournament favourites.

In the earlier quarterfinal match on the day, Senegal edged co-hosts Uganda 1-0 in Kampala to keep their title defense alive.

On Friday, Madagascar beat co-hosts Kenya 4-3 on penalties in Nairobi to book their semi-finals spot and were later joined by two-time champions Morocco, who brushed aside Tanzania, also hosts, in a 1-0 result in Dar es Salaam.

Interestingly, two of the quarter-final duels have been decided by a penalty shootout while the other two ended in a 1-0 result.

The last couple of days have seen the original 19-strong competition whittled down at both the group and knockout stages.

Two-time champions DR Congo, 2011 runners-up Angola and 2009 third-place finishers Zambia failed to make it out of Group A.

2022 quarter-finalists Mauritania, Burkina Faso and debutants Central African Republic did not advance from Group B.

2011 quarter-finalists South Africa, 2020 third-place finishers Guinea and Niger, who finished fourth in 2022, were the Group C casualties.

2018 runners-up Nigeria and two-time quarter-finalists Congo came up short in Group D. 

In the quarter-finals, co-hosts Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, who had all advanced for their first time as well as leaders of their respective groups, were knocked out. Pre-tournaments favourites Algeria were also eliminated. 

Attention now turns to the last four teams standing, who all have two full days left to prepare for their respective showdowns on Tuesday.

Madagascar, who finished third at the 2022 edition, will battle with two-time fellow third-place finishers Sudan at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam for a place in the final. The other semi-final will be a showdown between two-time champions Morocco and holders Senegal at Mandela National Stadium in Kampala.

To get to the semis, Madagascar were stretched to their absolute limit as they launched a spirited fightback against Kenya. Harambee Stars took the lead through Alphonce Omija early in the second half, but Fenohasina Gilles Razafimaro equalized for Barea from the penalty spot to force the contest into extra time and ultimately the spotkicks. Omija missed the decisive penalty to all but end Kenya's debut campaign.

Morocco stormed the semi-finals after putting the contest against Tanzania to bed within regulation time. Oussama Lamlioui scored the only and winning goal of this duel, as he climbed to the top of the goalscoring chart with four goals.

Senegal, who flew from Zanzibar to Kampala for their quarterfinal match against Uganda, also banked on efficiency to dispatch the brave Cranes. Oumar Ba's low angled strike in the 62nd minute was enough to send the Teranga Lions through and keep their title defence alive.

In Zanzibar City, Ayoub Ghezala's messy own goal three minutes into the second half gave Sudan the lead against Algeria. Sofiane Bayazid levelled matters in the 73rd minute to eventually force the contest into extra time.

The extra thirty minutes failed to separate the two sides and for a second time at this edition, the spotkicks were required. After two converted penalties apiece, it was Algeria that cracked first as they saw their third penalty saved by Madani. Leading 3-2, Sudan then missed their fourth. Algeria saw their fourth also saved, before Sudan scored their fifth and last penalty to go through 4-2 on penalties.