CHAN 2024 Qualifying: Madagascar hold off Eswatini; Mauritania and Congo qualify

Four more qualifying places will be confirmed when 2024 African Nations Championship qualifying finishes up on Sunday. Madagascar and Eswatini are already underway in their second leg clash in Mauritius before Congo duel with Equatorial Guinea and Mali host Mauritania with a deficit to overcome. Stay updated on the latest from Sunday’s matches below:

Click here to read about what happened in Saturday’s CHAN qualifying matches.

Confirmed qualified teams after Sunday

Uganda (co-host)

Tanzania (co-host)

Kenya (co-host)

Morocco

Mauritania

Senegal

Niger

Nigeria

Burkina Faso

Central African Republic

DR Congo

Congo

Sudan

Madagascar

Zambia

Angola

13:00 GMT

Madagascar (2) vs Eswatini (0)- Saint Pierre, Mauritius

30′: Madagascar 0-0 Eswatini

Eswatini have a difficult mountain to climb against the semifinalists from the 2022 edition. Madagascar had a strong performance in the first leg played in South Africa and are heavy favorites to confirm their place at the finals in East Africa.

FT: Madagascar 0-1 Eswatini

It was a tense finish for Madagascar! Eswatini made an inspired push to level the aggregate score by finding a late goal and laying siege to the Malagasy goal. However, a couple of excellent saves from goalkeeper Nina Rakotoasimbola prevented Eswatini from sending the match into a tense penalty kick shootout.

Video: Eswatini scores late to set up a dramatic finish

Video: Madagascar goalkeeper Nina Rakotoasimbola makes a crucial save from a free kick in second half stoppage time to preserve victory

14:00 GMT

Congo (0) vs Equatorial Guinea (0)- Brazzaville, Congo

After a scoreless first leg in Equatorial Guinea, the Nzalang Nacional will have to overcome hosts Congo in Brazzaville where a victory or a scoring draw will be enough. Congo’s Diables Rouges have qualified for the last three editions of the CHAN, finishing at the quarterfinal stage in the 2018 and 2020 editions.

FT: Congo 2-1 Equatorial Guinea

The Diables Rouges hold off Equatorial Guinea’s Nzalang Nacional to qualify for their fourth consecutive CHAN with a 2-1 second leg victory in Brazzaville. The Congolese will look to return to the knockout stages of the finals in February after falling short in the group stage at the 2022 edition.

15:00 GMT

Uganda (1) vs Burundi (0)- Kampala, Uganda

After losing to CHAN co-hosts Uganda in the first leg played at the same venue, Burundi were eliminated from contention to qualify out of the East Africa region making this second leg clash in effect a friendly.

FT: Uganda 1-0 Burundi

Substitute Hakim Kiwanuka proved to be the hero for Uganda Cranes with a dramatic late goal in their 1-0 win over Burundi in the 2024 CHAN qualification return leg played on Sunday evening at the Hamz Stadium, Nakivubo.

Video: Hakim Kiwanuka’s shot deflects in to give Uganda a late winner

16:00 GMT

Mali (0) vs Mauritania (1)- Bamako, Mali

This West African clash holds the most suspense from Sunday’s matches. Mauritania earned a slight lead following the first leg in Nouakchott but the Malian team will be determined to establish their dominance back home. Mali have qualified for five of the last six editions of the CHAN, finishing runner-up twice but are facing a Mauritania team that continues to make progress as seen in their 2022 quarterfinal finish.

HT: Mali 0-0 Mauritania

The tension continues to rise in Bamako with hosts Mali still needing to overcome a 1-0 deficit from the first leg. Second half just kicked off.

FT: Mali 0-0 Mauritania (0-1 aggregate)

Mauritania have somehow managed to hold off a late Malian charge. The hosts had numerous opportunities in the second half but could not find a way into the Mauritanian goal, leaving Les Aigles eliminated and joyous celebrations from the Mauritanian team when the full time whistle arrived.

Video: One of many close chances for Mali as they crash out of CHAN qualifying