The stakes are high as Niger and South Africa face each other in a Group C clash that will shape their CHAN 2024 destinies.
17:00 – Guinea vs Algeria
20:00 – Niger vs South Africa
The two nations will battle under the lights of Kampala’s Mandela National Stadium, with one side fighting for survival, the other for security.
This is the kind of match that can rewrite a tournament story in 90 minutes.
For coach Harouna Doulla and his Niger side, the road so far has been littered with frustration. Two games, no points, and a desperate need to find the breakthrough that can keep their campaign alive. Yet the coach remains a believer.
“Friday’s game against South Africa will undoubtedly be a tough one for both teams. We are still looking for our first point in this competition, but we believe anything can happen. It will be difficult, but not impossible,” Doulla insisted.
With four points from their opening two matches, coach Molefi Ntseki’s South Africa are a step away from the quarter-finals.
The challenge now is to avoid last-minute complications by sealing qualification early.
“When it comes to tournament football, it is crucial to adjust strategies according to the opponent. Even though Niger hasn’t scored any points yet, we cannot underestimate them. They are a well-structured and dangerous team at certain moments in the game,” Ntseki warned.
In three previous CHAN encounters, South Africa holds the upper hand with two wins and a draw.
For Niger will remember 2011 — the year they held Bafana Bafana to a goalless draw, a result that eliminated the South Africans and sent Niger through.
That bit of history is a reminder that form alone doesn’t decide football matches.
For Doulla, the key is cutting out individual errors, while Ntseki’s focus is on exploiting moments when Niger’s organisation wavers.
Friday’s clash isn’t just another fixture — it’s a chapter-defining battle for both sides.
For Niger, it’s a fight for pride, points, and a shot at keeping their CHAN journey alive.
For South Africa, it’s the chance to finish the job early and walk into the quarter-finals with momentum.
When the whistle blows in Kampala, expect a game heavy with urgency, discipline, and ambition from both camps — a true reflection of what tournament football is all about.
Mean while
Guinea is set to take on Algeria in a fierce Group C CHAN battle — in which two sides with vastly different realities will meet under the same fierce spotlight, at Kampala’s Mandela National Stadium in Uganda, on Friday.
For Guinea, anything less than victory could end their CHAN 2024 dreams.
Algeria, on the other hand, can punch their quarter-final ticket early — and send a strong statement of intent to the rest of the tournament.
It’s a classic case of survival versus supremacy: one team fighting to stay alive, the other striving to cement dominance.
