Morocco, Madagascar to clash in historic final

NAIROBI: THE TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 will reach its grand finale today at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi, Kenya, as two sides on contrasting historical paths, Morocco and Madagascar, square off for continental glory.

The tournament, reserved exclusively for players competing in their domestic leagues, is now in its eighth edition since its inception in 2009.

It has become a significant platform for emerging talent and a prestigious prize in African football.

This year’s final promises to be historic, regardless of the outcome. Madagascar, in their maiden CHAN final, could become the first Southern African nation and first island nation to lift the trophy, while Morocco, already champions in 2018 and 2020, is one win away from becoming the tournament’s most successful team with three titles.

Both finalists have had to overcome formidable challenges en route to the final, including tough group stages and resilient opponents in the knockout rounds.

Morocco’s journey from the group stage, they finished second behind hosts Kenya in Group A.

Quarterfinal, they edged past hosts Tanzania, silencing the home crowd with a composed performance before defeating Senegal on penalties, showcasing their composure under pressure in the semifinal.

This will be Morocco’s third CHAN final, having lifted the trophy with dominant wins over Nigeria (4-0 in 2018) and Mali (2-0 in 2020).

The Atlas Lions are unbeaten in knockout matches since 2014 and boast a fearsome CHAN pedigree.

However, Madagascar’s breakthrough from the group stage saw them finish second behind Tanzania in Group B.

In the semifinal, they pulled off one of the surprises of the tournament by defeating Group D winners Sudan 1-0.

The Barea have shown remarkable resilience, recovering from a slow start to remain unbeaten in their last four matches.

They’ve scored in five consecutive games, their best-ever run in the tournament and have now reached their first-ever CAF senior final.

Madagascar, Michel Ramandimbisoa (goalkeeper) had 3 clean sheets, 25 saves – most in the tournament. Lalaina Rafanomezantsoa: 3 assists, 11 chances created, the creative heartbeat of the team.

Toky Rakotondraibe scored 2 goals, including the all-important semifinal winner.

Knockout record: P5 W4 L1 (including penalties), only loss vs Senegal in 2022.

Morocco, Youssef Mehri had 12 chances created, 3 assists – joint-most in the tournament, Oussama Lamlaoui is the top scorer with 4 goals in 5 games, while Sabir Boubrine added his second goal in the semi-final vs Senegal.

Morocco had only one loss in their last 19 CHAN matches (W15 D3), scoring in all nine CHAN knockout games in history.

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This is the first-ever CHAN meeting between Morocco and Madagascar. It also continues a fascinating trend: since 2011, every CHAN final has featured at least one team yet to win the competition.

If Madagascar triumphs, they will follow in the footsteps of Senegal’s 2022 victory, which marked a new name on the trophy. If Morocco wins, they’ll become the first three-time champions, setting a new benchmark in CHAN history.

This final is not only about silverware but a celebration of how far domestic African football has come — showcasing depth, development, and dreams coming true on one of the continent’s biggest stages