Group A set for a Sunday of high drama in Nairobi
Sunday promises high drama across Group A. For Morocco and DR Congo, it is a clash of champions with everything on the line. For Kenya, it is a chance to cement authority on home soil. For Zambia, it is about redemption. Three nations with different stories, one defining day at CHAN 2024.
When Morocco and DR Congo step onto the pitch at Nyayo Stadium on Sunday, 17 August 2025, it will be more than a group stage clash at the TotalEnergies CHAN 2024. It will be about pride, legacy, and survival. Both former champions are level on six points, yet find themselves under different kinds of pressure.
For Morocco, a draw is enough to guarantee a quarter-final berth. For DR Congo, only victory will do, setting up one of the most anticipated encounters of the tournament so far. The Atlas Lions enter the tie with confidence, determined not to settle for a cautious approach.
“This is a very crucial match for us and our ambition is to get into the quarter finals. A win is all we are searching for,” coach Tarek Sektioui said.
Defender Mohamed Moufid echoed the message: “It is not an easy match but one that we must play with a lot of courage and sacrifice. We want to go to the next round and we have to sacrifice and play with a lot of heart.”
DR Congo, meanwhile, know that anything short of three points will end their campaign. Head coach Otis Ngoma acknowledged the pressure but remained upbeat: “It is not an easy match. These are two former champions meeting and there is a lot at stake. We have been improving in each game but again every time we look at what we did not do well and try to improve.”
Ngoma highlighted their attacking sharpness against Angola in their last outing and urged his players to maintain that edge. Their challenge is complicated by the suspension of left-back Papy Kokeleya, but it opens the door for 21-year-old Jacques Kapanga Mwimba, a rising star in Congolese football.
Midfielder Age Basiala underlined the focus required: “Everyone knows that Morocco is not an easy team. They are one of the favourites for this Cup and we need to try and get into the game as quickly as possible and make less mistakes. Against such an opponent, any small mistake you make, you get punished.”
The stakes could hardly be higher. Both Morocco and DR Congo have lifted the CHAN title twice, but only one is guaranteed a future in the competition. With Kenya and Zambia playing simultaneously, the group remains delicately balanced, though the Leopards cannot afford to rely on results elsewhere.
While Morocco and DR Congo prepare for a battle of giants, Kenya’s Harambee Stars face Zambia in Kasarani with their own statement to make. Already through to the last eight, Kenya lead Group A with seven points and are eager to finish unbeaten in front of their home crowd.
Head coach Benni McCarthy, who has masterminded victories over both Morocco and DR Congo, wants his side to impose themselves again. “When everybody said Group of Death, we would probably have had zero points after four games, but we found ourselves sitting on top of the mountain. Now we really want to enjoy that view,” he said.
McCarthy insists this is about more than qualification. It is about stamping authority.
“In order to be the best, you have to beat the best, and I think we’ve proven that throughout the group stages. Now we want to make a statement so no one can say it was by chance or luck,” insisted the EUFA Champions League winner.
Defender Daniel Sakari also pointed to the importance of playing at home: “Of course we are playing at home and we want to ensure that we make the best representation and make our country proud. The 27,000 fans who will be in the stadium tomorrow mean a lot to us and we know they are going to push us.”
For Zambia, pride is all that remains. Three straight defeats have ended their campaign, but coach Avram Grant wants his young team to sign off positively.
“Our aim is to win. This tournament was very important for me and for all the staff. It’s a new team, and we wanted to see who is available for the national team,” he said. Captain Kelvin Kampamba echoed the sentiment: “We want to bow out on a high, with a win. Kenya is not an easy opponent but we want to show that we are a good side. We have to do something for our country.”
