FOOTBALL - The African Mirror

Aug

22

2025

Wanyama: TotalEnergies CHAN is Africa’s hidden gateway to football greatness

CHAN 2024

VICTOR Wanyama’s name resonates across Europe, from anchoring Celtic’s midfield to starring in the Premier League with Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur. Yet, when the former Harambee Stars skipper talks about football, his passion returns home. Today, he believes one tournament above all is shaping the future of African players—the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN). “CHAN is a very important tournament for African football,” Wanyama told CAFOnline.com. “It gives the local players a chance to show what they can do and is also a good platform for scouts to come and watch some great talent and pick them up for bigger leagues…

Aug

21

2025

By The African Mirror

Quarter-final line-up set as CHAN 2024 enters knockout stage

CHAN 2024

THE TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 has reached its knockout phase, with the quarter-final fixtures confirmed after a dramatic final round of group matches on Tuesday night. For the first time in CAF history, a major competition is being co-hosted by three nations — Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda — and all three will feature in the last eight, ensuring the festival of football continues to attract huge crowds. The co-hosts’ collective progress has added further weight to the tournament’s “Pamoja” (Swahili for together) theme, as East Africa prepares for another round of capacity stadiums and fervent support. Kenya Top Group…

Aug

21

2025

By The African Mirror

Sudan’s Kwesi Appiah: From late start to rising contenders at CHAN 2024

CHAN 2024

TOURNAMENT football is often defined by momentum, and for Sudan coach Kwesi Appiah, his side is finding theirs at precisely the right moment. The Falcons of Jediane topped Group D of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024, edging holders Senegal on goal difference after a tense 0-0 draw in Zanzibar on Tuesday night. Remarkably, Sudan had assembled just four days before the competition began, yet Appiah’s men have progressed unbeaten through the group stage. “We started the competition slowly but progressed to beat Nigeria and grind out a result against Senegal,” the Ghanaian tactician explained. “The more we advance,…

Aug

20

2025

By BONFACE ORUCHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

East Africa’s upgraded stadiums spark a robust vision for sports tourism

CHAN 2024

THE 2024 CHAN, a tournament exclusively for home-based players, has given Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania a shared and immovable deadline to meet international hosting standards. For Kenya, the deadline has been matched by form on the pitch. The Harambee Stars are enjoying a dream run, booking a quarter-final slot after edging Zambia 1 – 0 on Sunday. The team has also won over two-time champions Morocco. According to Football Kenya Federation (FKF) official Michael Senelwa, the infrastructure gains are as significant as the football. “These facilities are an investment in positioning East Africa as a serious contender for bigger tournaments…

Aug

19

2025

By The African Mirror

Kenya coach McCarthy warns against complacency, Grant shifts Zambia focus to future

CHAN 2024

KENYA’S unbeaten march into the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 came with a warning from head coach Benni McCarthy — focus must remain as the journey gets tougher. The Harambee Stars defeated Zambia 1-0 in Nairobi to finish top of Group A with three wins and a draw, sparking celebrations among their home fans. But while McCarthy hailed the achievement, his opposite number Avram Grant was already looking ahead, stressing that the tournament had served as a testing ground for Zambia’s next generation. McCarthy urges focus after perfect group stage “I am very happy that…

Aug

15

2025

By The African Mirror

Atlas Lions roar back to life in Nairobi thriller

CHAN 2024

UNDER the blazing floodlights of Nairobi's Nyayo National Stadium, Morocco's Atlas Lions delivered a masterclass in redemption, tearing apart Zambia 3-1 in a pulsating TotalEnergies African Nations Championship encounter that will be remembered for years to come. The two-time champions arrived in Kenya's capital with their backs against the wall, their dreams of continental glory hanging by the thinnest of threads after a shocking defeat to the hosts. But on this electric night, with the East African air crackling with tension, Morocco reminded everyone why they wear the crown. From the opening whistle, the Atlas Lions prowled their territory with…

Aug

12

2025

By The African Mirror

CHAN 2025: Drama in Kampala as Uganda soar and South Africa find their voice

CHAN 2024

THE afternoon sun blazed down on Kampala as South Africa stepped onto the Mandela National Stadium pitch carrying the weight of a nation's expectations and the burden of sitting rock-bottom in Group C. What followed was a masterclass in resilience that breathed new life into their tournament dreams. From the first whistle, Molefi Ntseki's warriors hunted in packs, pressing high and refusing to let Guinea settle into any rhythm. The early aggression paid dividends in spectacular fashion. Just ten minutes in, the dynamic duo of Thabiso Kutumela and Neo Maema combined with telepathic understanding – Kutumela's clever link-up play releasing…

Aug

06

2025

By Jovial Rantao

Defending champions Senegal strike first blood against Nigeria in CHAN thriller

CHAN 2024

IN a battle befitting two of Africa's footballing superpowers, defending champions Senegal edged Nigeria 1-0 in a brutal Group D opener that lived up to every expectation at Amaan Stadium on Tuesday night. Christian Gomis' 75th-minute strike proved the difference in a contest that showcased both the tactical sophistication and raw intensity that has made West African football a continental force. The TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship – featuring exclusively domestic-based players – exploded into life as the continent's two most successful nations in recent years locked horns in what many considered a premature final. Senegal, riding high from their…

Aug

05

2025

By Jovial Rantao

CHAN 2024: Congo, Sudan share points in thrilling Zanzibar opener

CHAN 2024

THE TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 kicked off with a pulsating 1-1 draw between Congo and Sudan at Zanzibar's Amaan Stadium on Tuesday night, setting the tone for what promises to be a fiercely competitive tournament. In the opening Group D fixture, both nations demonstrated the grit and determination that defines CHAN, the biennial competition exclusively featuring players from domestic African leagues. The match marked the first-ever encounter between these two sides at the tournament level, and it did not disappoint the lively crowd in attendance. Sudan strike first, Congo respond late Sudan looked the more dangerous…

Aug

04

2025

By The African Mirror

HARAMBEE STARS ROAR: Kenya stuns two-time champions DR Congo in electrifying CHAN debut

FOOTBALL

THE earth shook in Nairobi on Sunday night. Not from any seismic activity, but from the thunderous roar of 60,000 voices rising as one when Austin Odhiambo's left boot changed the course of Kenyan football history forever. In a moment that will be etched into the folklore of East African sport, Kenya's Harambee Stars announced their arrival on the continental stage with a seismic 1-0 victory over two-time champions DR Congo at the sold-out Moi International Sports Centre, marking their debut at the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 with the kind of statement that sends shockwaves across…