Group C quarter-final race goes to the wire

Niger national football team Menas. [CAF]

The battle for Group C’s two quarter-final spots at the CHAN 2024 Championship will be decided on the August 19, 2025.

This is after Niger’s Menas held South Africa’s Bafana Bafana to a goalless draw on Thursday in Kampala.

The result keeps Uganda, Algeria and South Africa all within touching distance of qualification, while both Guinea and Niger’s hopes hang by a thread.

The Uganda Cranes need only a draw against South Africa on August 18 to book their place in the quarter-finals. A win would secure them top spot, while a loss could see them slip out of the qualification places if Algeria win and South Africa overtake them on points or goal difference.
With five points and a final match against bottom-placed Niger in Nairobi, Algeria are widely tipped to progress.

A win would take them to eight points and guarantee qualification, while even a draw could be enough if Uganda avoid defeat against South Africa.
The goalless draw against Niger leaves Bafana Bafana needing at least a point against Uganda to stay in contention.

A win would take them to eight points and automatic qualification. A loss would end their hopes unless Algeria are beaten by Niger and Guinea’s inferior goal difference fails to bridge the gap.

With four points from four matches, Guinea’s group campaign is over. For them to qualify, South Africa must lose to Uganda and Algeria must lose to Niger, with goal difference then working in Guinea’s favour. It’s a long shot but not mathematically impossible.

Niger’s first point of the tournament keeps them alive on paper. They must beat Algeria by a wide margin and hope South Africa lose to Uganda while making up goal difference against Guinea. Given they are yet to score in three matches, it would take nothing short of a miracle.

Uganda and Algeria remain the clear favourites to sail through, with South Africa still in strong contention. Guinea and Niger will be watching from the sidelines, relying on unlikely scenarios to unfold.

By Sunday evening, Group C will have its final two quarter-finalists and for now, the fight remains fiercely alive.