Group C of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) Pamoja 2024 concluded with a dramatic finish, seeing Uganda’s Cranes and Algeria’s local Greens secure their places in the quarter-finals. South Africa’s Bafana Bafana, Guinea, and Niger were eliminated, unable to accumulate sufficient points to remain in contention.

Uganda emerged as the top team in Group C, amassing seven points from four matches. Their journey was characterized by resilience and attacking prowess. After an initial 3-0 defeat to Algeria, the Cranes showcased a strong comeback with decisive victories over Guinea (3-0) and Niger (2-0). Their final group match against South Africa resulted in a thrilling 3-3 draw, bringing their total goal tally to eight while conceding six. This performance cemented their position among the last eight, generating significant excitement among home fans who consistently supported the team throughout the group stage.

Algeria secured the second spot with six points, though their campaign concluded with some frustration after a 0-0 draw against Niger in Nairobi. The North Africans started strongly with a commanding 3-0 win against Uganda but subsequently faltered, drawing three consecutive matches against South Africa (1-1), Guinea (1-1), and Niger (0-0). Despite scoring only five goals, their disciplined defense, which conceded only twice, proved crucial for their progression. Coach Madjid Bougherra had emphasized the decisive nature of their final match against Niger, acknowledging concerns about converting opportunities, a recurring issue from the previous CHAN tournament. He stressed the importance of team unity as their primary strength.

South Africa’s Bafana Bafana also finished with six points, matching Algeria, but faced a painful exit due to an inferior goal difference. Their only victory in the group came against Guinea (2-1), followed by two goalless stalemates with Niger and Algeria, and the electrifying 3-3 draw against Uganda on the final day. With six goals scored and five conceded, they demonstrated both resilience and attacking quality throughout their campaign.

Guinea’s journey ended with four points from four matches. Their sole win was against Niger (1-0), but heavy defeats to Uganda, a narrow loss to South Africa, and a hard-fought draw with Algeria were not enough for them to progress despite showing flashes of promise.

Niger finished at the bottom of Group C with only two points and the unfortunate distinction of failing to score a single goal throughout their campaign. They managed to secure draws against South Africa and Algeria but suffered defeats to Uganda and Guinea. For the Mena, the tournament highlighted their resilience but undeniably exposed a significant lack of cutting edge in attack.