MATCH FACTS: Madagascar and Mauritania meet for the first time at TotalEnergies CAF CHAN
Madagascar and Mauritania will clash for the first time at the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship when they meet in Dar es Salaam on Sunday, 3 August in their Group B opener.
This game is Madagascar’s fourth against West African opponents. At the 2022 edition in Algeria, they beat Ghana in the group stage and Niger in the third-place play-off, while suffering a semi-final loss to eventual champions Senegal.
Mauritania are the sixth team that Madagascar will face in CHAN history.
For Mauritania, this will be their 10th match in the tournament, with Madagascar becoming the 10th different opponent they have encountered.
It will be Mauritania’s second time facing a COSAFA member, having previously drawn 0-0 with Angola in the group stages of the 2022 edition.
Madagascar – Key Facts
· Making their second CHAN appearance, following their debut in 2022
· Finished third at the 2022 edition in Algeria
· Won their only previous opening match, 2-1 against Ghana in 2022
o Goals: Koloina Razafindranaivo (10'), Tsiry Randriatsiferana (68')
· Grouped with only two other teams in 2022, defeating Ghana and Sudan
· Beat Mozambique 3-1 in the quarterfinals, lost 1-0 to Senegal in the semifinals, and beat Niger 1-0 in the third-place match
· All five matches at the 2022 edition produced a winner; won four and lost one
· Only clean sheet came in the 1-0 win over Niger
· Only failed to score in the 1-0 loss to Senegal
· Qualified for CHAN 2024 with a 2-1 aggregate win over Eswatini
o Won the away leg 2-0, lost the home leg 1-0
Mauritania – Key Facts
· Making their fourth appearance at the finals (2014, 2018, 2022, 2024)
· Eliminated in the group stage in 2014 and 2018; reached quarterfinals in 2022
· Have never won an opening CHAN match
o Lost 1-0 to DR Congo in 2014
o Lost 4-0 to Morocco in 2018
o Drew 0-0 with Angola in 2022
· Yet to score in any opening match at the tournament
· Failed to win their first seven CHAN matches (L6 D1)
· Only victory in nine CHAN matches came against Mali (1-0) in 2022
· Clean sheet against Mali is their only shutout in CHAN history
· Scored just once in their last six matches at the finals
· On the three occasions they took the lead at CHAN, they won only once (vs Mali in 2022)
o Lost to Burundi and Gabon after going ahead in 2014
· Of their seven CHAN defeats, six were by a one-goal margin; five ended 1-0
· Qualified for CHAN 2024 by beating Mali 1-0 on aggregate in WAFU Zone A
o El Mami Tetah scored the only goal in the first leg; second leg ended 0-0