CHAN 2024 Final: Morocco face Madagascar at Kasarani in bid for third crown
Morocco chase history, Madagascar write theirs
Two very different roads lead to the same tunnel at Kasarani. On one side, Morocco, seasoned and relentless, hunting a record third title in this tournament for home-based players. On the other, Madagascar, fearless debutants who keep ripping up the script, one knockout at a time. The prize waiting under Nairobi’s evening sky? A piece of African football history.
Kickoff is Saturday, 30 August 2025, at 18:00 local time (15:00 GMT) at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. It’s a fitting end to a bold, three-country hosting project shared by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Nairobi brings altitude, noise, and a big stage—exactly what this month-long showcase of domestic talent has built toward.
Morocco arrive with the aura of a team that has survived and learned. Their semifinal in Kampala was a test of nerve: down early to Senegal from a set piece—a glancing header by Joseph Layousse off a Libasse Gueye corner—then level soon after when Sabir Bougrine smashed a rising shot into the top corner. It stayed 1-1 through extra time. From the spot, the Atlas Lions were flawless, winning 5-3 and sending home the defending champions. It wasn’t pretty; it didn’t need to be. It proved they don’t break when the match tilts against them.
Madagascar’s semifinal was all heart and late lungs. In Dar es Salaam, with the game stretching and legs tiring, Romuald Rakotondrabe turned to his bench. Toky Rakotondraibe answered in the 116th minute, steering in the goal that beat Sudan and lit a fire back home. It’s their first final at this level, and not because the draw was kind. They’ve earned every yard, defending tight, countering with bite, and trusting their work rate when the clock gets cruel.
If you’re new to this competition, here’s the quick gist. The African Nations Championship is for players who compete in their own domestic leagues. No overseas stars. It’s a stage for local heroes and late bloomers, the kind of tournament that can flip a career in two weeks. Scouts come to find edge and energy. Fans come to see their own leagues stand tall. This year, the format took a unique turn with three East African hosts, which stretched logistics and, in a good way, widened the base of support.
Morocco’s confidence isn’t just bravado. They’ve done this before—twice. They lifted the trophy in 2018 and again in the 2020 edition played in early 2021. Different squads, same machinery: strong structure, clever midfielders who can switch gears fast, and set pieces you’d rather not defend. Coach Tarik Sektioui hasn’t pretended it’s been smooth; his team have flown across the region, playing in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. But he sees that journey as fuel. His message on the eve of the final was simple: be ready in every detail, respect the opponent, and trust the work.
Midfielder Salaheddine Rahouli echoed that tone. The group came here to play for the title, and they’ve treated each tie like a step toward it. Morocco’s edge isn’t hype; it’s repetition. They’ve seen pressure moments, they’ve felt momentum turn, and they’ve found ways out. You don’t win shootouts against champions by accident.
Madagascar, though, carry a different kind of pressure—the kind that frees you. Nobody penciled them in for Kasarani. Now they’re one game away from a landmark: becoming the first Southern African and island nation to win this tournament. That means something bigger than ninety minutes. The Barea’s identity under Rakotondrabe is clear: stay compact, track runners, then spring forward with speed from wide areas. The plan isn’t complex; it’s honest and hard to live with when they execute. They’ve also shown they can finish a game stronger than they start it, which matters if this final leaks into extra time.
So what does this matchup actually look like on the pitch? Morocco will try to own the middle third. They like a tidy 4-3-3 that can morph into a 4-2-3-1 if they need an extra body between the lines. The pivots set the rhythm, and the full-backs push high. That height can pin back wingers and invite overloads near the box. It also leaves grass behind them—space Madagascar will hunt. Expect the Barea to defend in two tight banks, force Morocco out wide, and then break with three and four runners bursting past the ball. Transitions will decide moods quickly.
Set pieces are a storyline on their own. Morocco conceded from a corner against Senegal; they’ll spend time on rest-defense and first contact in the box. At the other end, they bring tall targets and clean deliveries. If the whistle keeps coming in crossing zones, one good delivery could tilt the final.
In midfield, watch how Morocco’s controllers deal with pressure. If Madagascar’s first line of press angles the ball into traffic, Morocco’s tempo could stutter. If the Atlas Lions find their six early and clean, they’ll stretch the field, drag markers, and find entries for their wide forwards. The game might feel slow for ten minutes and then snap into life with one midfield turn.
Fatigue and recovery are the invisible actors here. Both semifinals went deep; both teams drained tanks. The altitude in Nairobi can bite late, especially for players who have logged heavy minutes across three countries in short bursts. Rotations off the bench could be decisive. Madagascar have proof-of-concept with Rakotondraibe’s winner. Morocco’s substitutions tend to add control and clean passing in tight games. If we reach extra time, the benches will be the story.
History between these two in this competition is thin, which adds a little mystery. There’s no old script to lean on, no grudge that shapes the opening fifteen minutes. We’ll learn their matchup in real time. And that usually favors the team that adapts first rather than the team with the shinier résumé.
Zoom out and you see a bigger win for the region. This is the first time three East African nations have co-hosted the tournament. It spread games and fans across Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, and Kampala, gave players different conditions to solve, and asked organizers to move teams smoothly over borders. There were hiccups, sure; there always are. But it broadened the base. By the time the final kicks off, expect a crowd that’s loud for the football itself, with local supporters picking sides based on style and underdog spirit as much as nationality.
For Morocco, there’s legacy on the line. A third title would set a new standard for this competition and deepen a pipeline that already feeds their top clubs. It would also reward a group that has handled pressure moments without blinking. For Madagascar, the stakes are clear and raw: one match to rewrite what’s possible for a domestic core that hasn’t had many lights this bright. You don’t get many chances like this in international football; they’re treating it like a once-in-a-generation shot.
What about the whistle and the rhythm of the night? Finals at this level can get cagey. Nobody wants to give up the first goal, and you feel that in the passing choices. If we get an early strike, the match opens and chaos brings chances. If not, watch the duels—wide 1v1s, second balls around the D, and how quickly each side closes the top of the box. Little details become big headlines fast in a final.
This stage also tends to spotlight players who do the unseen work. The runner who tracks a break in the 89th minute. The midfielder who reads a second ball and clears the edge of the area. The keeper who holds one awkward bounce under traffic. These are the moments that keep finals alive for the team that handles them best.
Morocco’s preparation by travel is unusual. Sektioui pointed to it himself—his team have touched all three hosts. It’s a grind, but it also builds a certain toughness. They’ve handled different crowds and pitches, moved camp repeatedly, and still found a way to make the biggest night. That matters because finals aren’t just about talent; they’re about edges.
Then there’s Madagascar’s belief. Nothing about their run feels fluky. They’ve been disciplined, opportunistic, and brave enough to throw numbers forward when the moment calls for it. Rakotondrabe has kept the message grounded—do the simple things right, and the big things turn up. That kind of clarity travels well into a pressure game.
The fan piece is part of the story too. Nairobi knows how to fill Kasarani when the stakes rise. Expect drums, color, and a lot of noise down the touchlines. Add in the neutrals who have adopted the Barea across this run and the North African diaspora that follows Morocco everywhere, and you get a final that feels bigger than one nation’s day out.
For those planning their evening around it, here are the bare facts you need:
- Fixture: Morocco vs Madagascar
- Kickoff: Saturday, 30 August 2025 — 18:00 local (15:00 GMT)
- Venue: Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani (Nairobi)
- Ceremony: Trophy presentation on pitch; player-of-the-tournament and goalkeeper awards to follow
- Coverage: Live across Africa via broadcast partners including SuperSport, KBC, Azam TV, TBC, FUFA TV, and UBC
You’ll hear plenty about the “favorites” tag. Sure, Morocco carry it. But finals built on trust and work rate treat labels like background noise. This one probably swings on firsts—first clearance under pressure, first break that sticks, first save that settles a back line. If someone scores before halftime, it forces the other side to ditch the safety net. If it stays tight, get ready for extra time, tired legs, and a bench player deciding a trophy for the second time in a week.
There’s also the afterlife of a game like this. CHAN has a track record of pushing players into bigger roles at club level and, sometimes, into senior national team camps. Perform well in Nairobi and you might fly out to a different contract in September. A few duels tonight could be auditions watched by coaches from Casablanca to Antananarivo and beyond.
Strip it all back and the pitch gives you a simple choice: control or chaos. Morocco will try to control the spaces, slow the pulse, and pick their moments. Madagascar will be happy if the match breathes fast, with turnovers flaring into chances. Neither is wrong. The beauty of a final is that it punishes hesitation and rewards conviction.
By the time the whistle goes, the labels disappear and the game explains itself. One team will lift a trophy that confirms a plan years in the making. The other will walk past it and stare at what-ifs. That’s the edge. That’s why the CHAN 2024 final has people talking far beyond Nairobi tonight.
How they got here and what to watch
Group-stage footing matters. Both Morocco and Madagascar finished second in their groups and had to navigate the knockout path without the cushion of top seeding. They adapted. Morocco sharpened in the margins—game management, late-half focus, and penalty calm. Madagascar turned tight games into late wins, trusting energy and substitutions to tilt the field late.
Three swing factors to track:
- Transitions: If Morocco’s full-backs get pinned, Madagascar break with numbers. If Morocco’s counter-press bites quickly, the Barea will run out of launch pads.
- Set pieces: Morocco’s delivery is dangerous; Madagascar’s marking has been disciplined. One lapse changes everything.
- Bench impact: Expect managers to act early if the game stalls. A fresh runner in the channels or a ball-winner at the base can flip control in ten minutes.
Final nights create unlikely heroes. It might be the winger who wins a back-post header or the midfielder who blocks a cut-back at 1-0. Either way, Kasarani is ready, the broadcast trucks are humming, and the stakes are crystal clear. Morocco want to underline their era. Madagascar want to start one of their own.
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