NIGERIA’s home-based Super Eagles crashed out of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) on Tuesday night after a humiliating 4–0 defeat to Sudan at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar.
The result, which leaves Nigeria bottom of Group D with no points, was sealed with a game to spare.
Sudan, meanwhile, surged to the top of the table after a clinical and disciplined performance masterminded by head coach Kwesi Appiah.
Sudan’s midfield maestro, Abdel Raouf Yagoub, scored twice in the second half to compound Nigeria’s misery, adding to an early own goal by Leonard Ngenge and Walieldin Khdir’s emphatic first-half penalty.
“We were disciplined without the ball, fast in transition and ruthless in the box. Against a team like Nigeria, you can’t afford to switch off. Tonight, the boys executed perfectly,” Appiah said in a post-match interview with CAF.
Nigeria began the match on the front foot, winning a series of corners and forcing early saves from Sudan’s goalkeeper Mohamed Abooja. In the 11th minute, Raymond Tochukwu went close with a low shot just wide of the post.
The breakthrough appeared to arrive in the 22nd minute when Anthony Ijoma tapped in from close range but VAR ruled the goal out for offside.
Within three minutes, Nigeria’s fortunes nosedived. Yagoub’s powerful drive crashed against the upright, rebounded off Ngenge, and rolled into the Nigerian net for an own goal.
As the Eagles struggled to recover, Ngenge’s night worsened when he handled the ball inside the box just before halftime. Khdir stepped up and rifled the penalty into the top-right corner to make it 2–0.
“We lost concentration at key moments. Once you’re chasing Sudan, they make the pitch feel very small,” lamented Nigeria’s head coach, Eric Chelle.
Chelle made three changes at the break in search of a revival, but Sudan maintained their grip on the match. In the 55th minute, Musa Hussien’s pressing won back possession, and Yagoub calmly placed the ball into the bottom-right corner for 3–0.
Just seven minutes later, Sudan punished another Nigerian turnover, with Yagoub curling a pinpoint finish into the top-left corner to complete his brace.
From there, Sudan closed ranks. Khdir, Yaser Awad, and Ali Abdalla dominated the midfield battle, the full-backs balanced defence with selective forward runs, and Abooja produced key saves, including a late stop from Steven Manyo’s header.
Nigeria exit the tournament having played two matches, scored no goals, and conceded five. Their CHAN journey was marred by lapses in concentration, poor finishing, and defensive vulnerabilities, particularly down the flanks.