Africa: TotalEnergies CHAN 2024 - South Sudan and Sudan Secure Progress As Togo, Eswatini Advance

The first round of the 2024 TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers concluded this weekend, with several teams booking their places in the next stage through hard-fought matches.

South Sudan holds off Kenya

South Sudan successfully secured their qualification after a 1-1 draw with Kenya in Nairobi on Sunday.

The Bright Stars, who had established a strong advantage with a 2-0 victory in the first leg in Juba, finished the tie with an aggregate score of 3-1.

Despite Kenya's efforts, South Sudan held firm and now advances to face Rwanda in December's second-round fixtures.

Sudan squeaks past Tanzania in penalty drama

Sudan narrowly progressed after a tense penalty shootout against Tanzania.

Despite winning the first leg 1-0, Sudan struggled in the second leg and conceded a goal in the 31st minute, putting the two sides level on aggregate.

After a gritty defensive performance, the match went to penalties, where Sudan edged Tanzania 6-5 to secure their spot in the second round.

Eswatini dominates Zimbabwe

Eswatini cruised past Zimbabwe with a dominant aggregate score of 4-0.

After a comprehensive 3-0 victory in the first leg, Eswatini added another goal in the return leg to win 1-0 on Saturday, confirming Zimbabwe's exit from the CHAN qualifiers.

Eswatini's steady performance has now propelled them forward, showcasing their strength in this qualification campaign.

Togo survives late scare against Benin

Togo booked their place in the next round after a 1-1 draw with Benin. Having secured a 2-0 victory in the first leg, Togo started strongly with a fourth-minute goal by Kokou Kloukpo.

Despite Benin's relentless pressure, they only managed to equalize through Ramzi Adam late in the game. Togo advances with a 3-1 aggregate win and is set for a second-round clash with Niger.

Namibia vs Lesotho: A penalty showdown

Namibia and Lesotho ended their two-leg contest with a 1-1 aggregate score, requiring penalties to determine the winner.

Namibia won the second leg 1-0 after Lesotho's first-leg 1-0 victory, but Lesotho ultimately triumphed 4-3 in the penalty shootout, eliminating Namibia and moving forward in the CHAN qualifiers.

Second round qualifying dates

The final qualifying round is scheduled for December 2024, with ties to be played between 20-22 December and 27-29 December.

The tournament proper will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania from February 1-28, 2025.

This article was originally published in CAF online.