South Africa round off CHAN 2024 qualifiers

The African Nations Championship was first held in 2009

South Africa became the final nation to qualify for the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) with a 2-0 victory over Malawi on Sunday.

Goals from Victor Letsoalo and captain Neo Maema in Pretoria proved enough for the hosts to turn around a 1-0 deficit from the first leg of the tie.

Letsoalo gave South Africa the lead in the 12th minute with a close-range shot after a goalmouth scramble and, after wasting several chances to increase their second-leg advantage, Maema side-footed home following another melee in the 87th minute.

Algeria beat The Gambia 3-0 on Friday to progress by the same scoreline over the two legs.

Both qualifiers will be in Group C alongside co-hosts Uganda, Niger and Guinea.

The 19-team tournament, which is for domestic-based players on the continent, was due to be held in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in February.

However, the finals were postponed just 18 days before the opening game and rescheduled to be played from 2-30 August.

CHAN 2024 draw

Group A: Kenya (co-hosts}, Morocco, Angola, DR Congo, Zambia

Group B: Tanzania (co-hosts), Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic

Group C: Uganda (co-hosts), Niger, Guinea, Algeria, South Africa

Group D: Senegal, Equatorial Guinea*, Sudan, Nigeria

*Equatorial Guinea replaced Congo-Brazzaville after the latter fielded an ineligible player in qualifying