Morocco climbed the last mountain with grit and imagination, edging Madagascar 3-2 in an unforgettable night at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. In the CHAN 2024 final Morocco vs Madagascar, the Atlas Lions came from behind twice, then found a moment of audacity to clinch a record third crown, delivering a spectacle witnessed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and a charged Nairobi crowd.
How the night unfolded at Kasarani
Morocco burst out of the blocks and should have led inside two minutes when top scorer Oussama Lamlioui went clean through but dragged his finish wide. The miss stung more when, in the seventh minute, Madagascar’s Calvin Felicite connected sweetly with a volley from outside the box, beating El Mehdi Al Harrar with a strike that silenced the early Moroccan momentum.
Tarik Sektioui’s side responded with control and pressure, pinning the Barea back inside their third. In the 27th minute, Youssef Mehri met Khalid Baba’s quick free-kick with a powerful header, the equaliser that reflected Morocco’s grip on territory and tempo.
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As halftime approached, the Atlas Lions struck again. In the 44th minute, Lamlioui found space between defenders and guided Mohamed Boulcsout’s pin-point cross into the net, his fifth of the tournament and a reminder of his golden touch when the spotlight burns brightest.
Madagascar refused to fade. Against the run of play on 68 minutes, a long cross into the area was flicked on by Felicite and calmly finished by Toky Rakotondraibe, a punch of belief for a team that has thrived in tight moments all month.
Then came the play that will live in Kasarani memory. In the 80th minute, Lamlioui saw veteran goalkeeper Michel Ramandimbisoa, nicknamed Toldo, off his line after a clearance and unleashed a stunning strike from distance. The ball sailed home, a shot of pure vision and nerve that decided the final and sealed Morocco’s third CHAN title.
The Lamlioui effect and the big match duels
All week the conversation circled around six key battles, and the headliner on the pitch did not disappoint. Oussama Lamlioui against Madagascar’s back line was decisive, his movement and confidence turning half-chances into match-winning moments. His brace, including a sensational effort from near the halfway line, validated Morocco’s faith in the tournament’s most dangerous forward.
Between the posts, the duel of experience carried drama. Michel Ramandimbisoa had been a pillar of Madagascar’s run, while El Mehdi Al Harrar has been Morocco’s safety net. On this night, Al Harrar conceded two excellent finishes, but his distribution helped Morocco sustain pressure, and Ramandimbisoa was finally beaten by three high-quality actions, the last a piece of individual genius from Lamlioui.
Midfield featured the chess match many anticipated. Mohamed Hrimat and Madagascar’s Lalaina Claver brought calm on the ball and ambition going forward, with Claver entering the final as the tournament’s top goal contributor. Morocco’s balance around that axis, and the work of creators like Boulcsout and Baba, tilted the rhythm toward the North Africans when it mattered.
On the touchline, Tarik Sektioui and Romuald Felix matched wits in a tactical contest that swung with substitutions and set-piece sharpness. Sektioui, who had already guided Morocco to Olympic bronze in Paris 2024, managed the momentum expertly, and by full time he had the statement victory that adds shine to his growing CV.
The human pulse in the stands
Kasarani felt every twist and turn. Pre-match, Madagascar players were met with boos during their pitch inspection, a backlash tied to the hosts’ quarter-final exit on penalties to the Barea and lingering frustrations over officiating decisions in that tie. Once the whistle blew, the noise flowed mostly green and red as Kenyans cheered Morocco, a team they had beaten in the group stage.
The evening was a showcase too, a closing ceremony staged from 2 pm with cultural flair from across the co-hosts. Kenyan star Savara, Uganda’s Eddy Kenzo, and Tanzania’s Zuchu lit up the build-up, entertainment that reflected the spirit of a tournament shared by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Inside the 48,000-seater, with 36,000 fans allowed, the atmosphere fused local pride with continental stakes, and it framed a final rich in emotion.
Officiating and pressure moments
The final was controlled by 29-year-old Cameroonian referee Abdou Abdel Mefire, with Djibouti’s Robleh Dirir and Liberia’s Joel Wonka as assistants. Kenyan officials also played a part, with Dickens Mimisa on fourth-official duty and Stephen Yiembe serving as Assistant VAR 2, while Dahane Beida of Mauritania led the VAR team.
“Being appointed as the referee for this final is a great honour and a source of pride, especially given the scale of the event,” Mefire told CAF Media.
“The pressure is there, and it’s normal to feel this kind of pressure at the end of a major competition. When you are given the responsibility of a final, it is a sign of trust. You have the key to close the door, meaning you must ensure the competition ends on a good note.”
On a night where big calls mattered, the crew held firm, and the contest’s rhythm was settled by the quality of finishing rather than the whistle. It was a fitting end to a month in which officiating, technology, and tournament logistics were under the microscope and, in this finale, aligned with the occasion.
What this title means for Morocco and Madagascar
For Morocco, it is history written in Nairobi. The Atlas Lions finished second to Kenya in the group stage, then beat hosts Tanzania 1-0 in the quarter-finals and dethroned holders Senegal on penalties in Kampala. The path demanded resilience, travel across all three host nations, and the steady hand of Sektioui, who framed Nairobi as the reward for a squad that united industry with imagination.
For Madagascar, there is pride and progress. The Barea’s journey threaded through a patchy group phase, then a statement quarter-final win over Kenya on penalties and a gutsy 1-0 extra-time triumph over Sudan in the semis, despite a late red card. Their veteran goalkeeper Ramandimbisoa inspired with leadership and big saves, and their attackers supplied moments of quality in the final itself.
The stakes were material as well as emotional. CAF’s prize structure set a lucrative podium, with the winners earning Sh452.7 million, and the runners-up collecting Sh155 million. For both federations and squads drawn from domestic leagues, these resources feed development, reward performance, and validate the value of a platform that spotlights local-based talent.
A tournament that raised the bar
CAF President Patrice Motsepe declared this the most successful CHAN ever, a verdict grounded in fuller fan engagement and rising quality. Co-hosted for the first time by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, CHAN 2024 married stadium experiences with vibrant fan zones, and Motsepe cited crowds of 140,000 at parks and viewership around 40 million in discussion with the Football Kenya Federation leadership.
Motsepe also pointed to growing private sector interest, prize money increases, and broader investment in African football. His message was simple, that CHAN retains deep value for nations building from the base of their domestic leagues, and that the spirit of Pamoja, together, can lift competitions and communities in equal measure.
The play that defined Kasarani
Every final finds a signature moment. Lamlioui delivered it with a glance, a decision, and a finish that changed a match and gilded a career. It was the kind of goal that rewrites the emotional map inside a stadium, and it carried the humility of a striker who knows teams, not individuals, shape destiny.
“This is thanks to the efforts of my teammates. Without them, I would never have reached this stage. We’ve entered history after winning three CHAN titles,” Lamlioui told the press.
That sentiment fit the story of Morocco’s run. From set-piece invention on Mehri’s header, to Boulcsout’s delivery and Lamlioui’s relentless movement, to the concentration that followed the second Malagasy equaliser, the Atlas Lions found answers under extreme pressure, the hallmark of true champions.
High profile eyes on the prize
FIFA President Gianni Infantino attended and applauded a final that reflected the momentum of African football. CAF boss Patrice Motsepe and Kenya’s leadership were present, and Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina was also listed among dignitaries for the showpiece, a sign of the continental and national pride stitched into this tournament.
The official program extended the celebration beyond the 90 minutes, with music, colour, and an invitation to fans without tickets to gather at Nairobi fan zones. It was a final that felt like a festival, a football city in full voice, and a showcase for what the co-hosts have built as they set their sights on future tournaments.
Key numbers at a glance
- Morocco lifted a record third CHAN title,
- Oussama Lamlioui scored twice in the final and leads the scoring charts,
- the final score read Morocco 3-2 Madagascar.
Final word
Morocco and Madagascar authored a final that had everything, early drama, tactical shifts, set-piece craft, and a wonder goal to settle it. The Atlas Lions leave Kasarani with silverware and history, the Barea with respect and belief, and CHAN 2024 with a legacy of full stadiums, fan parks, and football that felt world class. On a night when Africa’s game took center stage, Nairobi provided the perfect stage, and the ball told a story that will echo long after the lights dimmed.
