The Desert Foxes from Algeria announced themselves among the CHAN 2024 favourites after hammering co-hosts Ugandan Cranes 3-0 in a group C match staged at the Mandela National Stadium Namboole, in Kampala yesterday evening.
Algeria showed their intent from the onset with much possession and solid defence, with Ayoub Ghezala putting them ahead in the 36th minute after heading Abderrahmane Meziane’s corner .
Despite resuming well in the 2nd stanza, the home team’s forward line was too blunt to break the North Africans defence and was caught flatfooted when Meziane beat Ugandan shot stopper Joel Mutakubwa in the 76th minute from Messala Merbah’s cross.
MC Alger talisman Soufiane Bayazid put the game beyond the East Africans three minutes later.
Unlike their other two co-hosts, Kenya and Tanzania, who opened with victories, the home fans who thronged Namboole Stadium left the stadium with their heads down as they hope for better tidings in their next match on the 8th against Guinea.
In an earlier match yesterday, Guinea beat Niger by a solitary goal scored by Mohammed Bangoura, who tapped in Alhassane Bangoura’s cross two minutes after the break.
Algeria tops the group on three points, the same as Guinea in 2nd place, while Uganda is bottom.
