KAMPALA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Uganda head coach Morley Byekwaso has expressed delight at meeting defending champion Senegal in the quarterfinals of the 2024 CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN).

Uganda ended its long-standing CHAN drought on Monday by qualifying for the quarterfinals for the first time after six previous attempts.

Byekwaso told Xinhua that reaching this stage was a major milestone, and that facing Senegal was ideal as the team already knows what to expect.

"Yes, we believed we could do it, and finally, we are here. When we lost our first game at the start of the tournament against Algeria, it was hurtful, but we kept believing and pushing, and here we are now in the quarters," said Byekwaso.

The coach added that the Senegal clash comes at the right moment, with Uganda having already faced them two weeks ago during the CECAFA 3-Nations preparatory tournament in Tanzania.

"We beat Senegal 1-0 in the preparatory match, and now we shall face them in the quarters on Saturday. It is always good to face the best if a team is to win the trophy," he added.

Byekwaso also pointed out that their opening 3-0 defeat to Algeria served as a turning point, motivating the players to adjust their mindset and increase their efforts. Uganda bounced back strongly, defeating Guinea 3-0 and Niger 2-0, before playing out a thrilling 3-3 draw against South Africa in their final Group C match.

Besides Uganda, all other co-hosts of the CHAN tournament have qualified for the quarterfinals. Kenya will take on Madagascar in Nairobi, while Tanzania faces Morocco in Friday's opening quarterfinal ties. The third quarterfinal will pit Sudan against Algeria.

The semifinals are scheduled for August 26, followed by the third-place playoff on August 29 and the final on August 30 in Nairobi.

The winner of the 2024 CHAN tournament will walk away with 3.5 million U.S. dollars, while the runner-up will earn 1.2 million. The third and fourth placed teams will receive 700,000 and 600,000 dollars, respectively. ■