Senegal clinched third place at the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 after a dramatic 4-2 penalty shootout victory over Sudan on Friday evening at Mandela National Stadium in Kampala, following a 1-1 draw in regular time.
The result ensured that Senegal’s CHAN team, who were denied a spot in the final by Morocco on penalties, walked away with a podium finish for the second consecutive edition. Sudan, despite a strong campaign, missed out on a third-ever CHAN medal, extending their wait for continental silverware.
The match began with intensity as Sudan scored early in the 6th minute. Mohamed Tia Asad headed home from a perfectly delivered Abdel Raouf Yagoub corner, giving the Falcons of Jediane a 1-0 lead. Sudan showed compact defense throughout the first half, with goalkeeper Mohamed Abooja making crucial saves to preserve the advantage.
However, Senegal’s CHAN squad emerged stronger after the break. They equalized in the 58th minute through Seyni Ndiaye, who nodded in a well-placed header after excellent buildup play by Ousseynou Seck. From then on, Senegal dominated possession, while Sudan remained dangerous on the counterattack.
With the match ending 1-1 after 90 minutes and no extra time played in the third-place playoff, the outcome was decided on penalties. Sudan faltered, missing two of their four spot-kicks — with Walieldin Khdir missing the target and Musab Makeen denied by Senegal goalkeeper Marc Diouf. In contrast, Senegal were perfect from the spot, with Joseph Layousse, Issa Kane, Vieux Cissé, and Libasse Guèye all converting their kicks to seal a 4-2 win.
The bronze medal offered a measure of redemption for coach Souleymane Diallo’s Senegal team, who came into the tournament as defending champions. Despite falling short of back-to-back titles, they extended their unbeaten run in regular time to ten CHAN matches, underscoring the program’s growing depth.
Diallo praised his players' mentality after the match: “This was about character. The players showed maturity after the disappointment of the semi-final. We wanted to finish with something, and we did that.”
For Sudan, led by Ghanaian coach Kwesi Appiah, the result was heartbreaking but their campaign drew admiration across Africa. Operating under difficult circumstances due to a disrupted domestic league, Sudan overcame giants like Nigeria and nearly reached the final.
Appiah commended his squad’s resilience: “We came very far with limited preparation. I am proud of how the team fought. Sudanese football has shown it still has heart.”
As Senegal celebrates CHAN 2024 bronze, attention now shifts to the highly anticipated CHAN final in Nairobi, where Morocco face Madagascar at the Moi International Sports Centre on Saturday.
