The head coach of South Sudan, Nicolas Dupuis has said his team is very determined to qualify for the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2025 qualifiers.

Dupuis guided the Bright Star of South Sudan past Kenya in the first round of the qualifiers on a 3-1 goal aggregate to qualify for the second round.

“We are very determined and will prepare for the next round of the qualifiers because I believe we have a good team. Our major target is to qualify for CHAN 2025 because this will mean a lot for us and South Sudan as a country,” said Dupuis.

After winning the first leg 2-0, South Sudan held on to a 1-1 draw against Kenya in the return leg played at the Mandela National Stadium, Namboole in Kampala.

Austine Odhiambo Otieno gave Kenya the lead after 10 minutes, but Ebo Malish Ezibon Wajo leveled matters for South Sudan after 43 minutes. The two teams failed to find more goals in the second half. The draw saw South Sudan qualify on a 3-1 goal aggregate.

Kenya opted to play their match in Uganda because they do not have have a Stadium approved by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) to host International matches.

Kenya has already secured qualification since they will be one of the hosts of the CHAN 2025 tournament together with Uganda and Tanzania when the tournament takes place in February.

South Sudan will not face Rwanda in the final phase of the qualifiers in December this year, while Burundi take on Uganda, and Ethiopia battle Sudan.

Rwanda ejected Djibouti 3-1 on aggregate in the first round, while Sudan saw-off Tanzania in penalties after a 1-1 draw after two rounds. Burundi and Ethiopia walked over Somalia and Eritrea respectively.

The CHAN tournament is played between only players featuring in the local League in each of the respective CAF Member countries.

Six teams from the CECAFA Zone were on Sunday engaged in the first preliminary round of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2025 qualifiers.

Djibouti who hosted the first leg at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali shocked Rwanda 1-0 with the lone goal scored by Gabriel Ddadzie.

The Djibouti team hosted the first leg away from home because they do not have a Stadium approved by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA.

In Juba, hosts South Sudan defeated Kenya 2-0 in a match played at the Juba National Stadium. After a goalless first half, the South Sudan intensified their search for goals and scored through Ezibon Malish five minutes after restart, and Yohanna Paulino after 68 minutes.

“We are very happy to win the first leg. Now we must prepare better for the return leg to be played in Kampala, “ said South Sudan’s Coach Nicolas Dupius.

Sudan who hosted Tanzania at the National Stadium in Nouakchott, Mauritania also picked a slim 1-0 victory. Andel Raman scored the goal after 23 minutes. Eritrea and Ethiopia are also set to clash on October 31^st in a match to be played in Juba, South Sudan.

The return legs will be played between November 1-3, 2024, while second round matches take centre stage between December 20-22 for the first round, and the return legs December 25-27, 2024.

The CHAN  2025 will be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania between February 1-28th, 2025.

Somalia has pulled out of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) preliminary round qualifiers that kick-off this weekend.

Yusuf Ahmed, the General Secretary of the Somalia Football Federation (SFF) confirmed to Cecafaonline.com that they will not be able to field a team. “We decided to withdraw because of financial challenges,” explained Ahmed.

Burundi who were meant to face Somalia in the first round of the preliminary stage now earn a walkover where they will face Uganda in the final phase.

Meanwhile, in the other CHAN 2025 qualifiers for the teams in the CECAFA Zone Sudan will host Tanzania in a first leg match to be played on October 27^th, 2024 in Nouakchott, Mauritania. The same day South Sudan will play host to Kenya at the Juba National Stadium.

Djibouti who donot have a stadium cleared by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) will also host the first leg against Rwanda at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on Sunday.

The return legs will be played between November 1-3, 2024, while second round matches take centre stage between December 20-22 for the first round, and the return legs December 25-27, 2024.

The tournament will be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania between February 1-28th, 2025. CECAFA will have four teams play in the CHAN 2024, while all the other Zones COSAFA, WAFU A, WAFU B, UNAF and UNIFFAC will have three teams each.

_{The CECAFA region will be represented by Uganda, Ethiopia and Sudan at the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2022.}

_{Uganda Cranes stopped Tanzania 3-0 in the return leg played at the St. Marys Stadium, Kitende on Saturday to sail through on a 4-0 goal aggregate.}

_{Moses Waiswa gave the home side the lead from a penalty after 17 minutes. The visitors tried to push forward led by skipper John Bocco but failed to find the goals.}

_{Later Richard Basangwa netted off a diving header after 52 minutes to make it 2-0 before Rogers Mato also got his name on the score sheet.}

_{“The team played well and I am happy that we have qualified for the CHAN 2022,” said a happy Uganda Cranes coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic after the match. Tanzania’s interim coach Honour Janza said his team failed to defend well. This is now the sixth time Uganda Cranes qualify for the CHAN competition having played at the editions in 2011, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2022.}

_{In the other matches played Ethiopia picked a 1-0 away win against Rwanda to qualify for the CHAN 2022 competition. Dawa Hottesa netted the lone goal after 22 minutes at the Huye Stadium. The Ethiopian team qualified on a 1-0 goal aggregate after the first leg ended goalless. Ethiopia joined Sudan who also qualified on Friday night after stopping Djibouti 3-2 in the return leg played in Khartoum. The Sudan team won the first leg 4-1 in a match played in Morocco last weekend.}

_{The CHAN 2022 tournament will be hosted by Algeria in January 2023.}