Senegal, Ivory Coast win to reach CHAN quarter-finals. Senegal and the Ivory Coast, two regional heavyweights, qualified for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) quarterfinals on Sunday in Algeria, capping off a great night for west Africa.
Senegal, which was ranked second heading into the last round of Group B, defeated the Democratic Republic of Congo 3-0 in the eastern city of Annaba.
The unexpectedly easy win put the Senegalese in first place, where they will face the Group D winners, most likely Mali, coming Friday in the round of eight.
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Ivory Coast started the match against Uganda, who were in first place, in the rankings, and won 3-1, moving them up to second and securing their spot in the knockout round.
At the Stade Nelson Mandela in Algiers, where the host nation won all three of its Group A games without conceding, the Ivorians will take on Algeria on Friday.
In a tournament limited to football players who play for clubs in their country of origin, Senegal ended with six points, the Ivory Coast and Uganda each had four, and the DR Congo had two.
Since Ghana advanced from Group C, the head-to-head rule separated the Ivorians from the Ugandans and guaranteed that all three west African contenders would play in the quarterfinals.
A Ugandan team led by Serbian Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic aimed to get past the group stage for the first time in six tries after defeating Senegal and holding the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
However, they had a terrible start, allowing the Ivory Coast to go ahead 2-0 after 27 minutes with to goals from Sankara Karamoko and Vignon Ouotro.
Moses Waiswa’s stunning penalty kick on minute 34 cut the lead in half, and Uganda squandered opportunities before Aubin Kouame scored the third Ivorian goal with 12 minutes remaining.
The east Africans’ luck ran out when Travis Mutyaba’s late goal after a well struck free-kick was stopped by the woodwork.
Ousmane Diouf’s goal midway through the first half at Annaba gave the Democratic Republic of the Congo the lead, and Kevin Mondeko’s dismissal before halftime left them down to 10 men.
In the last three minutes, an own goal by Baggio Siadi and two goals by Pape Diallo gave Senegal the win.
