By our Reporter

 The coaches of Uganda and Senegal are optimistic ahead of CHAN quarterfinal clash

Morley Byekwaso, the head coach of Uganda, has expressed his happiness at facing Senegal, the defending champion, in the quarterfinals of the 2024 CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN). By qualifying for the quarterfinals for the first time after six previous attempts, Uganda ended its CHAN drought on Monday. Byekwaso told Xinhua that getting to this point was a big step, and it was ideal to face Senegal because the team knew what to expect. Yes, we believed we could accomplish our goal, and now we are here. Byekwaso stated, "It hurt when we lost our first game against Algeria at the beginning of the tournament, but we kept believing and pushing, and here we are now in the quarterfinals." The coach went on to say that Uganda already faced Senegal two weeks ago at the CECAFA 3-Nations preparatory tournament in Tanzania, so the matchup with Senegal comes at the right time.

 “In the preliminary match, we defeated Senegal 1-0, and on Saturday, we will play them in the quarterfinals. If a team wants to win the trophy, it's always good to face the best. Byekwaso also said that their first defeat, a 3-0 loss to Algeria, was a turning point that inspired the players to change their mindset and work harder. After a strong comeback, Uganda played a thrilling 3-3 draw with South Africa in their final Group C match before defeating Guinea 3-0 and Niger 2-0. The CHAN tournament's other co-hosts, in addition to Uganda, have all advanced to the quarterfinals. Kenya will play Madagascar in Nairobi, and Tanzania will play Morocco in the first quarterfinal matchup on Friday. Algeria will face Sudan in the third quarterfinal. 

The semifinals are set for August 26, followed by the playoff for third place on August 29 and the final in Nairobi on August 30. The CHAN tournament in 2024 will award 3.5 million dollars to the winner, while the runner-up will receive 1.2 million. The teams that came in third and fourth will each receive 600,000 and 700,000 dollars, respectively. Prior to their quarterfinal matchup with Uganda, Senegal's coach is upbeat. Before Saturday's quarterfinal matchup between Senegal and Uganda at the CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN), coach Souleymane Diallo issued a warning. Senegal finished second in Group D and qualified for the knockout stage, while Uganda won Group C. According to Diallo, his team is determined to demonstrate its superiority as the defending champion. He provided the following explanation: "We played three matches in the group stage and have only conceded one goal, which shows high defensive discipline."

 “We know what to expect from Uganda, as they beat us in the CECAFA 3 Nations preparatory tournament that was held in Tanzania prior to CHAN. Because we know what to do, they should anticipate a very strong Senegal team in the quarterfinals,” the coach stated. Diallo said that his team is fully focused on the next challenge and that the group stage goal had been accomplished. He continued, "The next match is now against Uganda, and we will be very ready to play against a home team with a lot of fans." Diallo acknowledged that the absence of defender Mbaye Yaya Ly, who was dismissed during the previous group match against Sudan and is currently suspended, would be felt. Because he was playing a very important role, we will miss him. However, we have additional players who can fill the void.

 The CHAN tournament's other co-hosts, in addition to Uganda, have all advanced to the quarterfinals. Friday is the first day of the CHAN quarterfinals. Kenya will play Madagascar in Nairobi, and Tanzania will play Morocco in Dar es Salaam in the first matchup. Algeria will face Sudan in the third quarterfinal. At the Mandela National Stadium in Kampala, Uganda will play Senegal, and in Zanzibar, Sudan will play Algeria. 

The semifinals are set for August 26, followed by the playoff for third place on August 29 and the final in Nairobi on August 30. Only players from their respective domestic leagues compete in the CHAN tournament. The CHAN tournament in 2024 will award 3.5 million dollars to the winner, while the runner-up will receive 1.2 million. The teams that came in third and fourth will each receive 600,000 and 700,000 dollars, respectively.