Algeria made a commanding start to their TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 campaign with a clinical 3-0 victory over co-hosts, Uganda, at a packed Nelson Mandela National Stadium in Kampala on Monday evening.
Goals from Ayoub Ghezala, Abderrahmane Meziane and Soufiane Bayazid sealed the win for the North African giants, who once again displayed their tournament pedigree with an organised, composed and tactically efficient performance that left the Cranes chasing shadows.
The result marks Algeria’s third consecutive win over Uganda at CHAN, extending their unbeaten group stage record in the competition to seven matches. ,
For Uganda, it was a sobering return to familiar struggles, as their hunt for a first-ever knockout appearance at CHAN continues.
The opening exchanges were scrappy, with Uganda buoyed by the home crowd but unable to find early rhythm.
Algeria, in contrast, settled into their passing game, and broke the deadlock in the 36th minute.
A well-delivered corner from Meziane found Ayoub Ghezala at the near post, and the midfielder’s glancing header beat goalkeeper Joel Mutakubwa at his near post to put Algeria ahead.
It was a deserved lead for the Desert Foxes, who had begun to dominate territory and possession.
The Cranes responded with long-range efforts from Joel Sserunjogi and Patrick Kakande, but Zakaria Bouhalfaya in the Algerian goal was equal to the task, producing a smart save in first-half stoppage time to deny Kakande and preserve the lead at the break.
Uganda emerged with more urgency in the second half, but Algeria’s composure and compactness proved difficult to breach. As the hosts committed men forward, Algeria struck on the counter.
In the 76th minute, Meziane doubled the advantage with a cool left-footed finish after a clever lay-off from Messalla Merbah.
Just three minutes later, Bayazid put the result beyond doubt, slotting home from close range after good build-up play by Naoufel Khacef.
Guinea began their CHAN campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over regional rivals Niger on Monday at the Nelson Mandela National Stadium in Kampala with a second-half strike from Mohamed Bangoura II.—CAF