Kenya beat Zambia 1-0 last Sunday to top Group A with ten points in the ongoing CHAN 2024. Morocco came in second with nine points after beating DR Congo 3-1.

Group B at Tanzania’s Benjamin Mukapa Stadium was won by Tanzania as Madagascar came in second ahead of Mauritania on goal difference. Burkina Faso was fourth and Central Africa Republic came in last with one point.

This means that in the quarter-finals scheduled to begin on August 22 Kenya will play Madagascar while Morocco face Tanzania.

Tanzania was hoping to play Kenya who they believe they have a chance of beating them, but they will now only meet in the final, if they win the next two fixtures.

Kenya will play Madagascar who have qualified for Chan for the second time after their 2022 debut and third place finish. Meanwhile, Kenya is featuring for the first time. Kenya is ranked at position 109 by Fifa while Madagascar is placed at position 115.

Kenya has met Madagascar eleven times since May, 1972. Kenya has only beaten them four times and have played to a draw twice. We beat them in 1987 in group A at the All African Games in Nairobi. Cameroon topped the group while Kenya was second.

Kenya won 2-1 with Wilberforce Mulamba scoring the first goal and George Nyangi Odembo scored the second. This was after Madagascar had scored the first goal in the 13th minute.

The next time the two countries met for Group 6 qualifying group for Afcon 2000 that began in October 1998. The two countries played to a 1-1 draw in October in Nairobi and then another 1-1 draw in Madagascar.

Zambia and DR Congo qualified from the group as Kenya came in last with two points gleaned from Madagascar. Madagascar managed to beat DR Congo at home to garner five points.

The two countries would then meet in a friendly match on June 7, 2019, at the Stade Robert Bobin Stadium in Paris, France. They were preparing for 2019 Afcon that began in Egypt two weeks later.

Patrick Matasi scared his teammates by fouling a Madagascar player and they were awarded a penalty which he saved. In the second half Kenya won a penalty that was slotted in by captain Victor Wanyama. Kenya won 1-0.

At 2019 Afcon, Madagascar was in Group B with Nigeria, Guinea and Burundi.

Madagascar finished top in the group as Nigeria came in second and Guinea third. The three qualified for the next round. They defeated Nigeria and Burundi scoring five goals and conceding two.

Kenya on the other hand finished third in Group C with a goal difference of -4. Kenya defeated Tanzania and lost to Algeria and Senegal.

Tanzania lost all her matches in the group. Despite finishing third, Kenya could not get one of the four slots for best third place finish due to an inferior goal difference. 

Madagascar went ahead to beat DR Congo on post-match penalties in the round of 16. They had played to a 2-2 draw in regular time.

In the quarter-finals, they met Tunisia and lost 3-0. They were coached by Frenchman Nicholas Dupuis. It was a great performance for their first ever Afcon qualification. They are currently coached by Romuald “Roro” Rakotondrabe.

Both countries failed to qualify for the next two Afcons, 2021 in Cameroon and 2023 in Ivory Coast. In the current 2026 World Cup qualifiers, after six of the ten matches, Madagascar has ten points in Group I.

Kenya has six points in Group F. They both have a +3 goal difference. Nine teams will qualify from Africa and increase from the usual five.

Kenya has qualified with a goal difference of +3 while Madagascar has a goal difference of +2. Kenya has a better defence that has only let in one goal against Angola.

Madagascar has so far conceded three goals but have scored five goals compared to Kenya’s four.

Michel “Toldo” Ramandimbisoa, the 39-year-old Madagascar goalkeeper is their main man. He has bagged three Man-of-the-Match performances in their four matches.

This history shows that there is no much difference in football depth between Kenya and Madagascar. Madagascar coach loves to press while Benni McCarthy brings a compact side in defence. It will be a great match that I believe will be lively. Kenya has home ground advantage that is a big boost in knockout stages of football.