Uganda’s long-awaited CHAN 2024 journey roars into life on Monday as the Cranes welcome continental heavyweights Algeria to a packed Mandela National Stadium in Kampala.
With the eyes of the nation fixed firmly on their heroes, the hosts will aim to break their group stage jinx in what promises to be a fiery clash under the floodlights.
This Group C showdown rekindles a simmering rivalry last seen at CHAN 2011 in Khartoum, where Algeria outclassed Uganda with a commanding 2-0 victory in both nations’ tournament debut.
History, however, casts a long shadow over Uganda’s CHAN campaigns. In six previous appearances, progression beyond the group phase has remained elusive.
And the record against North African opposition paints a grim picture, defeats to Algeria and Morocco in previous editions have highlighted the gulf in tactical discipline and tournament pedigree.
Algeria, runners-up in the 2022 edition, arrive in Kampala with a reputation forged in steel.
Their consistency in CHAN tournaments is unmatched among the contenders this year, and they’ll be eager to reassert their dominance in East Africa.
The Desert Foxes have lost just once in four previous outings against East African sides, keeping clean sheets in three of them and conceding only a solitary goal.
Their last clash with a host nation ended in heartbreak, a narrow 1-0 loss to Sudan in the 2011 bronze medal match. But the memory will serve only to fuel their hunger to set the record straight in Kampala.
Monday’s duel is more than just a group stage fixture — it’s a litmus test for Uganda’s ambitions and a chance to script a new narrative in front of a roaring home crowd. For Algeria, it’s about maintaining a winning tradition and silencing the hosts early in the tournament.
