4 days ago
MATCH FACTS: South Africa begin TotalEnergies CAF CHAN PAMOJA 2024 campaign with Algeria test
Published: Thursday, 07 August 2025
South Africa open their Group C campaign at the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN), PAMOJA 2024 with a challenging fixture against Algeria, who are playing their second game, in Kampala on Friday.
This is just the second meeting between the two sides at CHAN, their previous clash coming in the quarterfinals of the 2011 edition. Algeria won that encounter 2-0, courtesy of an Adel Maiza penalty and a stoppage-time goal by Hocine Metref.
Notably, Algeria become the first team that South Africa will face twice in the history of the competition. This will be South Africa's eighth CHAN match overall.
Algeria – Key Stats Opened their Group C campaign with a 3-0 victory over co-hosts Uganda – their biggest group stage win at CHAN.
That win marked their second triumph over Uganda, having previously beaten them at CHAN, with a combined 5-0 aggregate.
It was their 13th match at CHAN: W8 D4 L1.
Unbeaten in their last 7 CHAN matches in open play, with 6 wins and one penalty shootout defeat (vs Senegal in 2022 final).
Have kept 10 clean-sheets in 13 CHAN games.
Unbeaten in all 7 of their CHAN group games: W5 D2.
Conceded just once in those 7 group games – a 2-2 draw with Gabon in 2011; they've kept clean-sheets in the other six.
Previous second group game results: drew 2-2 with Gabon in 2011 and beat Ethiopia 1-0 in 2022.
A win here would mark the second time Algeria win their opening two group games, having done so in 2022.
Currently on a run of five group matches without conceding – 450 minutes since last letting in a goal at this stage.
Across all CHAN matches, they've gone 682 minutes without conceding – last breached in the 37th minute of their 2011 third-place playoff loss to Sudan.
Had three different scorers against Uganda – only the second time they've achieved that in CHAN (also in their 5-0 win over Niger in 2022).
Completed 363 passes and scored 3 goals from 5 shots on target against Uganda.
Abderrahmane Meziane both scored and assisted in that match.
If Meziane, Ayoub Ghezala, or Soufiane Beyazid score again, they'll join El Arabi Hilal Soudani (2011) and Aymen Mahious (2022) as Algerians who scored in their first two games of a CHAN tournament.
South Africa – Key Stats Making their third CHAN appearance, after featuring in 2011 and 2014.
Reached the quarterfinals on debut in 2011 but exited at the group stage as hosts in 2014.
Have won both previous tournament openers: 2-1 vs Ghana (2011) and 2-1 vs Mozambique (2014).
Came from behind in both those opening wins, having conceded first.
Despite winning their 2014 opener, failed to progress after drawing with Mali and losing to Nigeria.
Group stage record at CHAN: P6 W4 D1 L1.
Their only group loss was a 3-1 defeat to Nigeria in 2014.
Scored first in only two of their six group games – a 2-0 win over Niger (2011) and a 1-1 draw with Mali (2014).
Came from behind to win three times: 2-1 vs Ghana and Zimbabwe (both in 2011), and 3-1 vs Mozambique (2014).
Have scored in all six group stage games and in six of their seven CHAN matches overall.
Only failed to score in the 2-0 quarterfinal loss to Algeria in 2011.
None of their seven CHAN matches have ended goalless.
Six of their seven games produced a winner, with the only draw a 1-1 vs Mali in 2014.
Qualified for CHAN 2024 by:
Defeating Egypt 4-1 on aggregate (1-1 home draw, 3-1 away win).
Overcoming Malawi 2-1 on aggregate (lost 1-0 away, won 2-0 at home).
