CHAN Quarter-Final Showdown Begins: Eight Nations Battle for Final Four Spots
by Geoffrey Ejiga | by Geoffrey Ejiga
The African Nations Championship Journey So Far
The African Nations Championship group stages have just concluded, and it's on to the quarter-finals for football fans. The group stages came with unexpected thrillers from unlikely contenders like Uganda and shocking exits from giants like Nigeria. Now, eight hungry teams remain, with all four matchups promising blockbuster football action.
CHAN Quarter Finals Fixtures: Insights and Expectations
Tanzania vs Morocco
Tanzania and Morocco are no strangers on the 360-feet-long football battlefield. They've met five times over the past decade, and it's been a historical one-sided affair, favoring the Moroccans. Over their last five games, Morocco has taken the last four in a row, with Tanzania taking the earliest. And with Morocco winning 13 of their last 14 games outside friendlies, we could very well see a repeat.
However, Tanzania is desperate to open a new chapter in their history books. They are unbeaten in the four CHAN games so far, winning three games and only conceding one goal.
The game plan for Tanzania would surely be to neutralize a free-scoring Morocco attack and hope to put one past a defense that has conceded in all of their last three games. Find the full match analysis in our Tanzania vs Morocco prediction.
Uganda vs Senegal
The upcoming Uganda vs Senegal matchup is quite an interesting battle. Senegal, who are the favorites, haven't been convincing, after winning only one of their group stage games and failing to score in their 0-0 draw vs Sudan.
Meanwhile, Uganda has blessed football fans with high-scoring games and drama in all four of their games. Uganda lost 3-0 in their opening game against Algeria, but quickly bounced back in the next two games, winning 2-0 and 3-0, before scoring a 96th-minute goal to draw 3-3 with South Africa in their last game.
Does an underperforming Senegal side overcome a fearless Uganda frontline? Punters would definitely be scratching their heads with this showdown.
Kenya vs Madagascar
Kenya, who remains undefeated, can only but picture themselves lifting the CHAN cup after reaching the quarterfinal on the back of three wins in four of their group stage games, while conceding only one goal. Their recent victory was another 1-0 win over Zambia, making it their third victory with that same scoreline in the competition.
Although Kenya are favorites, they face a relentless Madagascar side that lost only one of their four qualifying games. Most notably, Madagascar is ramping up its attacking efforts, having scored two goals in each of its last two games. What we’re seeing is a classic case of immovable defense vs unstoppable attack.
The question now is, will Kenya’s rock-solid defense stop the newly firing Madagascar attack? Our experts might have the answer in the Kenya vs Madagascar prediction.
Sudan vs Algeria
Fans are already billing Algeria for a clean win against Sudan, but we don't think it would be so easy after their recent form.
Sudan entered as underdogs and thrashed a fully-fit 11-man Nigeria squad in a convincing 4-0 scoreline. Although Sudan has only one win in their last five games, they are still undefeated in six outings, even against South Africa, Nigeria, and Senegal (twice).
Still, Algeria is a powerhouse that might be just too strong for Sudan. Algeria thrashed Sudan 4-0 in their last H2H and are now undefeated in their last competitive games outside friendlies. But their CHAN run so far has been underwhelming, with three draws and one win in their four games, which included a goalless draw against the 10-man Niger in their most recent game.
