CHAN: Uganda drawn with Zambia, Mali

Nov 16, 2015

UGANDA was placed in a tough group when the 2016 African Nations Championship (CHAN) draw was made in Kigali

By Michael Nsubuga

 

CHAN

Group A: Rwanda, Morocco, Gabon, Ivory Coast

Group B: DR Congo, Angola, Cameroon, Ethiopia

Group C: Nigeria, Niger, Guinea, Tunisia

 

Group D: Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mali

 

UGANDA was placed in a tough group when the 2016 African Nations Championship (CHAN) draw was made in Kigali on Sunday.

 

Uganda will have to negotiate past top seeds in Group D, Zimbabwe alongside Mali and Zambia in their quest for a maiden CHAN championship, for the January 16-February 7 2016 tournament.

 

Hosts Rwanda were placed with formidable opponents Morocco, Gabon and Ivory Coast.  Rwanda, who as hosts were exempted from the qualifiers will be up against Morocco who beat title-holders Libya twice and won a thriller away to Tunisia en route to securing one of two North African places in the region-based eliminators.

 

It will be a second successive CHAN appearance by Morocco, who surrendered a three-goal lead when beaten 4-3 by Nigeria in a 2014 quarter-final in Cape Town.

 

Ivory Coast booked one of five West African slots at the expense of 2009 and 2014 runners-up Ghana, winning 1-0 at home to go through on away goals after a 2-1 first-leg loss.

 

Nigeria, who failed to qualify for the first two tournaments and finished third last year, are in Group C with fellow West African sides Niger and debutants Guinea plus 2011 champions Tunisia.

 

Democratic Republic of Congo, winners of the inaugural CHAN six years ago and one of only two countries to qualify for all four tournaments, face Angola, Cameroon and Ethiopia in Group B.

 

Group A and C fixtures will be played in two Kigali stadiums, Butare in the south plays host to the Group B teams and Gisenyi in the west to the Group D sides.

 

President Paul Kagame attended the draw at a Kigali hotel, which was conducted by CAF secretary general Hicham El Amrani.

 

Acting FIFA president and CAF president Issa Hayatou missed the ceremony as he is recovering from a kidney transplant operation.

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