Senegal edge Uganda as Sudan stun Algeria to reach CHAN semi-finals

Defending champions Senegal kept their title hopes alive at the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 with a narrow 1-0 win over co-hosts Uganda in a tense quarter-final at the Mandela National Stadium in Kampala on Saturday.

The winning goal came in the 62nd minute when Libasse Gueye sent in a perfect cross from the right, and Oumar Ba arrived at the far post to calmly slot the ball past goalkeeper Joel Mutakubwa.

The strike silenced more than 35,000 home fans.

Uganda, playing in their first-ever CHAN quarter-final, gave everything but couldn’t take their chances. Allan Okello tested Senegal’s keeper Marc Diouf before halftime, while Ivan Ahimbisibwe and Gavin Kizito went close after the break.

Despite late pressure, Senegal’s defence — led by Seyni Ndiaye and Joseph Layousse — stayed solid.

Coach Souleymane Diallo’s second-half substitutions, including Moctar Koïté, Vieux Cissé, and Mbaye Ndiaye, helped Senegal hold on for the win.

The champions now move into their second straight CHAN semi-final, where they will face Morocco in Kampala on Tuesday, 26 August.

In another quarter-final contest in Zanzibar, Sudan pulled off a big upset by beating Algeria 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at the Amaan Stadium.

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Sudan went ahead in the 48th minute when Algerian defender Ayoub Ghezala accidentally scored an own goal after Musa Hussien’s shot was saved.

Soufiane Bayazid equalised for Algeria in the 73rd minute, and neither side could find a winner in extra time.

In the penalty shootout, Sudan’s goalkeeper Mohamed Abooja became the hero, saving two Algerian spot-kicks, while Ahmed Tabanja and Mohamed Tia Asad scored to seal victory.

Sudan, unbeaten under coach Kwesi Appiah, have now reached their third CHAN semi-final and will face Madagascar on Tuesday, 26 August, in Dar es Salaam.

With the defeat of Uganda on Saturday, none of the three co-host countries will feature in the semi-final.