The draw of African Nations Championshipcarried out Wednesday evening in Nairobi, placed the Morocco in pool A alongside Zambiaof the RD Congoof theAngola and the selection of one of the three host countries of the competition, the Kenya. THE Lions of the Atlas will thus face teams experienced in continental games, like DR Congo, double winner of the tournament (2009 and 2016) or Angola which is participating for the 5th time in CHAN.
A first for Kenya
Host country of CHAN along with Tanzania and Uganda, the Kenya is about to make his debut in the tournament. The Harambee Stars aim to make an impact on their home soil and demonstrate their progress on the continental scene. With a passionate fan base ready to cheer on their team, Kenya’s players and coaching staff will look to leave a memorable mark in this historic premiere. Led by Francis Kimanzi, Kenya have assembled a strong and ambitious team, capable of competing for the ultimate trophy. The two players to watch in this team are Ryan Ogam, top scorer in the Kenyan Premier League with 13 goals, and Austine Odhiambo, author of five goals in the league and two goals in the COSAFA Cup.
DR Congo determined to return to the Africa summit
The RD Congo will be the toughest opponent for the Morocco in group A. Winners of CHAN in 2009 and 2016, the Leopards are more determined than ever to regain their champion status. The Congolese qualified for the CHAN finals thanks to a decisive 3-1 victory against Chad at home in the qualifiers. Coached by Otis N’goma, the Leopards have very good elements like the TP Mazembe striker, Oscar Kabwit, who combines physical power and agility. The Congolese selection will therefore be a difficult opponent for Morocco, because it has the ambition to regain its former glory.
The Palancas Negras in search of their first star
This edition of the African Nations Championship marks the fifth participation of theAngolaout of the seven editions organized since 2009. After missing the first edition in 2009, the Palancas Negras made their debut two years later at the final tournament in Sudan, where they impressed by finishing fourth after a narrow defeat against the hosts in the third-place match. Under the leadership of coach Pedro Gonçalves, Angola are among the most formidable teams in the Southern African region and are aiming to win the title in this fifth attempt.
The Chipolopolo aspire to create a surprise during the 2024 edition of CHAN
A regular at the African Nations Championship, the Zambia qualified for CHAN five times. Third in the 2009 edition, the Chipolopolo qualified for the final phase of CHAN 2024 thanks to a withdrawal from the Mozambique team, which withdrew from the competition. The team is led by Wedson Nyirenda, who aims to create a surprise during this edition of the African Nations Championship. Moreover, since their third place in 2009, the Chipolopolo have always made it through the group stage (2016, 2018, 2020), but have never managed to get past the quarter-finals. A trend that they hope to reverse during this 2024 edition.
