Kenya v DRC: What Stats Predict for CHAN 2024 Group A Opener

Kenya will make their long-awaited debut at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) when they face two-time champions DR Congo on Sunday, 3 August, at the Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi.

This Group A clash not only marks the first-ever CHAN clash between the two nations but also promises to be a momentous occasion for the East African hosts.

Harambee Stars are one of two debutants this year, joining the Central African Republic in making their maiden appearance at the biennial event.

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With this, Kenya becomes the 33rd different country to feature in the CHAN finals since the competition's inception in 2009.

The team will be under the guidance of head coach Benni McCarthy, a former South African international with fond memories of playing against DR Congo.

McCarthy famously netted both goals in South Africa’s 2-1 win over the Leopards in the 1998 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-final.

He now looks to inspire Kenya in their bid to become just the second host nation to lift the CHAN title on home soil, after Morocco’s triumph in 2018.

For the fans in Nairobi, this encounter is more than just a football match—it is a celebration of Kenya's arrival on the continental stage.

The spotlight will be on whether the Harambee Stars can rise to the occasion and unsettle a DR Congo side steeped in CHAN history.

DR Congo are no strangers to the CHAN spotlight. Making a record seventh appearance, the Leopards boast a legacy few can match.

They were crowned champions in the tournament’s inaugural edition in 2009 and claimed their second title in 2016. Historically, they have progressed beyond the group stage five times, with their only group stage exit occurring in the last edition in 2022.

The Leopards' opening game record is impressive—four wins, one draw, and a single loss across their six previous CHAN openers. They have claimed victories against Libya (2009), Mauritania (2014), Ethiopia (2016), and Congo (2020), while only losing to Cameroon in 2011 and drawing with Uganda in 2022.

Notably, they have kept clean sheets in five of those six games, underscoring their traditional defensive solidity at the start of tournaments.

However, DR Congo enter this year’s tournament in unfamiliar territory. They are currently on a four-match winless streak in CHAN, which includes their quarterfinal defeat to Cameroon in 2020 and a disappointing group stage exit in 2022, where they failed to score a single goal in three matches.

Goalless draws with Uganda and Côte d’Ivoire were followed by a humbling 3-0 loss to Senegal.

Kenya will be banking on home support and debutant energy while DR Congo will lean on experience and the desire to restore their CHAN reputation.

For McCarthy’s side, a strong showing against the Leopards could set the tone for a successful campaign. For DR Congo, this is a must-win to shake off recent CHAN rust and reaffirm their title credentials.

This Group A opener is more than a game; it is a crossroads where history meets ambition. Whether Kenya seizes their moment or DR Congo reclaims their past glory, Sunday’s showdown promises to be one for the books.