© Kawowo Sports | AISHA NAKATO
Uganda Cranes line up vs. Rwanda at NyamiramboUganda and Ivory Coast over the weekend became the record holders for most Africa Nations Championship (Chan) finals by qualifying for Kenya 2018 edition.
The Cranes held off a resilient Rwanda to reach the fourth finals despite an early scare in Nyamirambo as Amavubi took a 2-0 lead inside just 20 minutes.
Uganda qualified 3-2 on aggregate and will now represent the Eastern Zone at the finals early next year.
The former runners up in the Africa Nations Cup have now missed out on one edition, the inaugural one held in Ivory Coast in 2009.
Meanwhile, Ivory Coast who took part in the maiden tournament as hosts saw off Niger on away goals rule following a 1-0 home win.
The Elephants had lost the first leg 2-1 away from home and have now missed just once – 2014, the edition held in South Africa.
Despite so, none of the two have won the competition – Uganda has never made it out of the group whilst Ivory Coast’s biggest achievement remains losing to DR Congo in the finals in 2009.
Here is a list of teams to have ever played the Chan tournament.
2009 qualified nations (DR Congo Champions)
Ivory Coast – Hosts
Libya – Northern Zone
Senegal – Western Zone A
Ghana – Western Zone B
DR Congo – Central Zone
Tanzania – Central Eastern Zone
Zambia – Southern Zone
Zimbabwe – Southern Zone
2011 qualified Nations (Tunisia champions)
Sudan – Hosts
Algeria, Tunisia – Northern Zone
Mali, Senegal – Western Zone A
Ghana, Ivory Coast, Niger – Western B
Cameroon, DR Congo, Gabon – Central Zn=one
Rwanda, Uganda – Eastern Zone
Angola, South Africa, Zimbabwe – Southern
2014 qualified nations
South Africa – Hosts (Libya Champions)
Libya, Morocco – Northern
Mauritania, Mali – Western A
Ghana, Nigeria, Burkina Faso – Western B
Congo, Gabon, DR Congo – Central Zone
Burundi, Ethiopia, Uganda – Eastern Zone
Zimbabwe, Mozambique – Southern Zone
2016 qualified Nations (DR Congo champions)
Morocco, Tunisia – Northern Zone
Guinea, Mali – Western A
Ivory Coast, Niger, Nigeria – Western B
Cameroon, DR Congo, Gabon – Central Zone
Ethiopia, Uganda – Eastern Zone
Angola, Zimbabwe, Zambia – Southern Zone
2018 qualified Nations (???)
Kenya – Hosts
Libya, Morocco – Northern Zone
Mauritania, Senegal/Guinea – Western A
Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast – Western B
Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Congo – Central Zone
Uganda, Sudan – Eastern Zone
Angola, Namibia, Zambia – Southern Zone.