Tuesday, August 26 Semifinals Morocco vs Senegal Defending champions Senegal will Tuesday, August 26, face two-time winners Morocco in what football pundits say it is clash of titans in the semifinals of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024. Tuesday will provide a first-ever meeting between the two African football heavyweights when they clash in the semi-finals in Kampala. It brings together the winners of the last three editions – Morocco, champions in 2018 and 2020, against defending champions Senegal. Morocco are facing a West African opposition for the ninth time at CHAN. They struggled initially, failing to win any of their first three encounters – drawing with Burkina Faso and losing to Nigeria (2014) and Côte d’Ivoire (2016). Since then, they have won five in a row, including emphatic victories against Mauritania, Nigeria, Guinea, Togo, and Mali. Their record against West African sides is strong: 17 goals scored, 7 conceded, with four clean sheets. This will also be Morocco’s first-ever CHAN game against defending champions. Senegal, meanwhile, face North African opposition for only the third time. They lost 2-0 to Tunisia in 2011, before beating Algeria on penalties in the 2022 final after a goalless draw. They are yet to score against a North African opponent in open play. Senegal’s defensive organisation once again proved decisive and has shown that they are ready to reach the final again. Morocco statistics in CHAN Morocco has four wins so far, including a 1-0 quarterfinal victory over Tanzania and, against Senegal, they could register five wins in a single edition for the third time (2018, 2020). The semifinal win would also mean four straight victories in one tournament for the second time (after 2020) and reaching the final would make it three appearances (2018, 2020, 2024), more than DR Congo, Ghana, or Mali (two each). Morocco have never gone to penalties; only one extra-time game (3-1 vs Libya, 2018 semifinal). Team totals: 9 goals scored, 3 conceded, 2 clean sheets, 29 shots on target (most among semifinalists), 18% conversion rate. They have only one loss in their last 18 CHAN games. Senegal’s statistics in CHAN Senegal beat co-hosts Uganda 1-0 in the quarterfinals to reach their third semifinal (2009, 2022). Having scored only three goals in four matches–all in the second half and by different players–the Lions of Teranga conceded just one goal, with back-to-back clean sheets. Another shootout would give them four in a row for the second time (after 2022). Knockout record: P6 W4 L2 (including penalties). Senegal never lost a semifinal in open play. They drew both previous semifinals (2009 vs Ghana, 2022 vs Madagascar) – won one and lost another on penalties. Senegal have not conceded in their last four knockout matches. A win would make them the fifth team to reach two CHAN finals, and the second defending champions to return (after Morocco 2020). They unbeaten in 8 CHAN games (W5 D3) since losing to Uganda in the CHAN 2022 group stage.
