August 30, (THEWILL) — Morocco claimed their third African Nations Championship title after defeating Madagascar 3-2 in Saturday’s final at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. The Atlas Lions extended their dominance in the competition, having previously won the tournament in 2018 and 2020, though they faced determined opposition from the first-time finalists.
Oussama Lamlaoui proved decisive for Morocco, netting twice to claim the tournament’s golden boot with six goals. His first came early through clinical finishing after Youssef Mehri’s defence-splitting pass, whilst his second featured a remarkable 40-yard strike that caught goalkeeper Michel Ramandimbisoa off his line. Sabir Bougrine also found the net before half-time, converting another Mehri assist.
Madagascar demonstrated the fighting spirit that carried them to their maiden CHAN final, with Toky Rakotondraibe equalising in the first half and Lalaina Rafanomezantsoa scoring late to create a tense finish. The island nation became the first of its kind to reach a CAF senior final and earned admiration across the continent for their counterattacking approach and mental fortitude.
The victory earned Morocco $3.5 million in prize money, whilst Madagascar collected $1.2 million for their silver medal performance. Their journey to the final included a dramatic extra-time victory over Sudan in the semi-final, marking just their second appearance in the competition.
The tournament marked a historic first, being co-hosted across Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda over the course of a month. Consistently packed stadiums and electric atmospheres characterised the competition, with the final providing a fitting conclusion to what organisers termed PAMOJA 2024, cementing the three-nation hosting model’s success.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
