The group stage of the CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) has delivered decisive results, with eight teams bowing out of the continental football tournament following fierce competition. Among the eliminated nations are Mauritania, Guinea, Niger Republic, Angola, the Central African Republic (CAR), Zambia, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso, marking a significant shake-up in the race for continental glory.
Mauritania became the latest casualty after a dramatic 2-1 victory by Madagascar over Burkina Faso on Thursday sealed their fate. Despite matching Madagascar’s seven points in Group B, Mauritania fell short due to an inferior goal difference, settling for third place. Tanzania, meanwhile, clinched the group’s top spot with a commanding 10 points from four matches, securing their place in the tournament’s next phase. Burkina Faso, in fourth, and CAR, fifth, also exited after failing to overtake the group leaders.
The outcome underscores the razor-thin margins defining the competition, designed exclusively for players active in their home countries’ domestic leagues. Madagascar’s late surge past Burkina Faso not only propelled them to second place but also highlighted the tournament’s unpredictable nature. For Mauritania, the elimination adds to a growing list of early exits for historically competitive teams, including three-time runners-up Nigeria and Zambia, which won the tournament in 2009.
The mass departure of these teams reduces the field to 15 contenders, with defending champions Morocco and Algeria yet to conclude their group-stage campaigns. While Morocco has already secured advancement, other groups remain tightly contested, setting the stage for a high-stakes knockout round.
CHAN, held every two years since 2009, serves as a platform to showcase Africa’s domestic talent, often revealing emerging stars. This year’s exits of heavyweight nations like Nigeria and Zambia, however, signal shifting dynamics in regional football. Nigeria’s early elimination, for instance, marks the second consecutive tournament in which they failed to progress beyond the group stage—a stark contrast to their dominant performances in earlier editions.
As the competition enters its decisive phases, focus shifts to remaining teams like Senegal and hosts Algeria, both positioned as strong contenders. For the ousted nations, the results serve as a catalyst for introspection, with coaches and federations likely to reassess strategies ahead of future qualifiers.
The tournament continues this weekend, with quarterfinal berths at stake and anticipation building for potential clashes between North African powerhouses and surging underdogs. With eight teams now eliminated, the path to the February 4 final in Algiers grows clearer, though surprises in the rounds ahead remain a hallmark of African football’s unpredictable spirit.
