MATCH FACTS: Kenya open TotalEnergies CAF CHAN campaign against DR Congo in Nairobi
Kenya will make their long-awaited debut at the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) when they face two-time champions DR Congo on Sunday, 3 August in Nairobi.
This Group B clash marks the first-ever CHAN meeting between the two nations and promises to be a historic occasion for the hosts.
DR Congo will be up against East African opposition for the fourth time in the competition's history, having previously defeated Burundi and Rwanda 2-1 in 2014 and 2016 respectively, and drawn 0-0 with Uganda in 2022—all in the group stages.
They have also faced host nations twice in the knockout rounds, beating Rwanda 2-1 in the 2016 quarterfinals before losing 2-1 to Cameroon in the same stage in 2018. Kenya – Key Facts:
· Making their CHAN tournament debut; one of two debutants in 2024 alongside the Central African Republic.
· Become the 33rd different nation to feature at the CHAN finals.
· Head coach Benni McCarthy, a former South African international, famously scored both goals for Bafana Bafana in a 2-1 win over DR Congo in the 1998 AFCON semi-finals.
· Will aim to become only the second host nation to win the CHAN title on home soil, following Morocco's success in 2018. DR Congo – Key Facts:
· Making their seventh appearance at CHAN—the most of any team in the tournament's history.
· Took part in the first four editions (2009–2016), missed 2018, but returned for the last two tournaments (2020, 2022).
· Won the inaugural CHAN title in 2009 (defeated Ghana in the final) and lifted a second crown in 2016 (beat Mali in the final).
· Advanced beyond the group stage five times; their only group stage exit came in 2022.
· Opening game record: W4 D1 L1.
o Wins: 2-0 vs Libya (2009), 1-0 vs Mauritania (2014), 3-0 vs Ethiopia (2016), 1-0 vs Congo (2020).
o Loss: 2-0 vs Cameroon (2011).
o Draw: 0-0 vs Uganda (2022).
· Have kept a clean sheet in five of their six CHAN openers, conceding only in 2011.
· Failed to win a match at the 2022 finals (D2 L1), their first winless tournament.
· Failed to score a single goal in 2022, drawing 0-0 with Uganda and Côte d'Ivoire before losing 3-0 to Senegal.
· Enter the 2024 tournament on a four-match winless run (D2 L2), including their 2020 quarterfinal loss to Cameroon and all three matches at the 2022 edition.
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