Discover the five nations already eliminated from CHAN 2024, as group stage drama intensifies with one decisive round remaining.

From the start of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) drama, surprise, and heartbreak have already been delivered by the competition.

Most nations have now been eliminated after not making their mark in the group stage, and stories of narrow defeats, lost opportunities, and lessons learned are left behind.

Kenya made the CHAN 2024 quarter-finals early, thanks to unexpected Group A results that sealed their fate before final match.

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The competition, globally renowned for bringing the best out of Africa’s local football talent, has again put on display the ferocity with which each match is played.

Below are the five nations that have been eliminated so far from CHAN 2024, and how their campaigns went.

Zambia came into the competition with hopes of advancing beyond their group, but Chipolopolo quickly found themselves battling against dogged opponents.

Their campaign was marred by finishing and defensive mistakes that deprived them of vital points in the opening rounds.

Their coup de grâce was a 3-1 defeat to Morocco, the consequence of which had condemned them to Group A’s basement. With zero from three games, Zambia was one of the earliest casualties, a departure from their storied reputation of putting together competitive sides.

Harambee Stars clinched their CHAN 2024 quarter-final ticket without kicking a ball on Thursday but how much is their reward from the tournament organisers?

The breaking up of the team highlights rebuilding and a keen cutting edge in attack.

For a nation with a rich football heritage, CHAN 2024 acted as a reminder of how cruel continental competitions can be.

Angola’s CHAN 2024 campaign was characterized by flashes of potential, but ultimately, inconsistency was their downfall.

The Palancas Negras managed to collect four points in their group, placing fourth in the standings

Former Chelsea coach Avram Grant, now in charge of Zambia, has highlighted why an African star is the best candidate to win the Ballon d’Or Award.

Their last chance at survival in the tournament slipped away in a 2-0 defeat against DR Congo. While there had been moments of grit beforehand, Angola’s inability to convert chances when going forward and remaining composed under pressure came too costly.

The exit is a learning curve for Angola, a side that has the capacity to test but doesn’t commonly have the consistency to dig deep in continental competitions.

Their campaign underscored that margins are slim at CHAN—one or two critical results can decide survival or elimination.

Nigeria’s campaign for CHAN 2024 ended much sooner than expected. Super Eagles B suffered a woeful start in defeat with a 1-0 loss to defending champions Senegal in their opening match. Hopes of redemption against Sudan were quickly dissipated in a woeful 4-0 loss.

The Sudanese overwhelmed from start to finish, Abdel Raouf’s two strikes in the second half sending Nigeria packing. Despite Nigeria’s status in African football, CHAN format has the tendency of unmasking issues of depth, and this year was no different.

Harambee Stars are preparing for a decisive CHAN 2024 clash against Zambia, focusing on key areas to secure vital group stage victory.

For Nigeria, the early departure was a bitter pill. It highlights the need to invest more in local players plying their trade in local leagues so that they can be ready for international duties.

Burkina Faso entered CHAN 2024 seeking to make a big statement, but their matches never really got going. They could not impose themselves in key matches, faltering on either creativity or nerve in front of goal.

The Stallions were defeated by better quality opposition and tactical planning from group rivals.

Burkina Faso’s exit was disappointing but gave their inexperienced players at home valuable experience.

Central African Republic (CAR) had their CHAN ambitions ruined early as well. Their exit was preceded by a series of results that revealed both promise and lack of experience in equal measures.

The team fought defensive weakness, conceding crucial goals that stretched games out of their reach.

CAR had been an outsiders before the tournament but anticipated the stage to reveal opportunities for demonstration of proof of improvement in football development. The campaign, however, highlighted problems that required urgent attention, particularly in maintaining structure when weathering pressure.

Harambee Stars will be tested as Benni McCarthy’s tactics and discipline decisions shape their push from CHAN 2024 quarters to semis.

In spite of the early exit, there are silver linings for CAR. The exposure of competing at this level is likely to shape the next generation of players who will return all the stronger in future continental games.