CHAN: Senegal secures win to join Algeria in final

Senegal will face Algeria in the final for the 7th African Nations Championship (CHAN).

The Senegalese qualified Tuesday evening (Jan. 31) by beating Madagascar 1-0.

Several Malagasy defenders failed to notice a dash into the box by Pape Diallo and he nodded into the net as goalkeeper Zakanirina Rakotoasimbola mistakenly rushed off his line.

Continually dominant Senegal squandered numerous second-half chances to increase their lead with Cheikh Diouf substituted immediately after missing a 71st-minute sitter.

That put an end to the Barea historic odyssey. It was indeed the first time a Malagasy national team reached this stage of any continental event.

In the other semi-final, Algeria matched the biggest victory in the 15-year history of CHAN. Niger was crushed 5-0.

The tournament leading scorer Aymen Mahious a 25-year-old forward from Algiers club USM, scored two of the goals that earned Algeria a qualification. It was the widest winning margin in a CHAN semi-final, surpassing the 4-0 hiding Morocco gave hosts Cameroon in the last edition two years ago.

40,000 people are expected at the Stade Nelson Mandela in Algiers on Saturday for the final.

CHAN is a unique national team competition as it is confined to footballers playing for clubs in their country of birth