A staggering Shs 1.2 billion reward for the Uganda Cranes for every match they win in the ongoing CHAN PAMOJA 2024 tournament now hangs in the balance, following a humbling 3-0 defeat to the Algerian national team.
The bold incentive was announced by FUFA President Moses Magogo Hassim just hours before Uganda’s crucial Group C opener against Algeria, held Monday evening at the packed Mandela National Stadium in Kampala.
“President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni sets the bar high,” Magogo told the national team. “The President has announced a massive winning bonus of Shs 1.2 billion per match for the team at CHAN 2024.”
However, Algeria made a commanding start to their TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship campaign, overpowering the Cranes with a clinical display of attacking football. Goals from Ayoub Ghezala, Abderrahmane Meziane, and Soufiane Bayazid sealed the dominant win for the North African giants, whose tactical discipline and composure left Uganda struggling to respond.
The defeat marks Algeria’s third consecutive victory over Uganda at CHAN, and extends their unbeaten run in the group stages of the competition to seven matches.
For Uganda, the result was a sobering reminder of their continued struggles at CHAN, as their pursuit of a first-ever knockout stage appearance remains elusive. The Cranes now face a tough road ahead, with upcoming Group C matches against Niger and South Africa.
Meanwhile, Algeria’s stellar form continues. The team has now recorded 10 clean sheets in their last 13 CHAN matches and has gone 712 minutes without conceding a goal in open play—their last being in the 2011 third-place playoff against Sudan.
With key players like Meziane and Mahious in top form and a system built on tactical discipline and game management, Algeria are emerging as serious contenders for the title they narrowly missed in 2022.
Uganda will aim to bounce back in their next match against South Africa, while Algeria will look to seal early qualification with a win over Niger.
As CHAN PAMOJA 2024 unfolds, Algeria’s statement win in Kampala could set the standard for the rest of Group C.
