Madagascar beat Sudan 1-0 with a dramatic 116th-minute strike.
Madagascar stunned Sudan in extra time to reach their maiden African Nations Championship (CHAN) final. With the game headed for penalties, substitute Toky Rakotondraibe struck in the 116th minute to seal a famous 1-0 victory.
His low shot past goalkeeper Mohamed Abooja set off wild celebrations on the Malagasy bench, while Sudan’s dream of reaching a first final was crushed.
The Barea had dominated much of the contest but were reduced to 10 men in the 79th minute after Fenohasina Razafimaro picked up a second yellow card. Sudan pushed hard with the numerical advantage, but wasted opportunities came back to haunt them.
Coach Romuald Rakotondrabe praised his team’s resilience, saying: “The players believed until the very end, and this victory belongs to Madagascar.”
In Kampala, Morocco eliminated defending champions Senegal at the Nelson Mandela National Stadium. Joseph Layousse opened the scoring for Senegal with a header, but Sabir Bougrine replied with a stunning long-range strike.
The game ended 1-1 after extra time, forcing penalties. Senegal captain Seyni N’Diaye missed the opener, while Morocco converted all five spot-kicks to win 5-3.
Coach Tarik Sektioui hailed his players’ composure: “It was a tough match against the holders, but my players showed maturity and resilience.”
The CHAN final on Saturday will see debutants Madagascar face two-time champions Morocco. For the Indian Ocean nation, the historic qualification marks the highest point in their tournament journey so far, while Morocco chases a third continental crown.
