NIGERIA restored some pride with a 2–0 win over Congo in their final Group D match at the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday, but it was not enough to keep their campaign alive.
The victory, courtesy of second-half goals from Anas Yusuf and Sikiru Alimi, came after two bruising defeats that had left the Super Eagles B team on the brink.
Nigeria finished third in the group on three points, behind Sudan and Senegal, who advanced to the quarter-finals after playing out a goalless draw in Kampala.
Yusuf broke Nigeria’s scoring drought in the 56th minute with a composed finish after a swift counterattack, before Alimi sealed the result in stoppage time with a towering header, moments after Congo’s Charles Atipo was shown a red card following a VAR review.
Despite the convincing display, the Super Eagles were left ruing their earlier lapses. They conceded five goals without reply in their first two matches, and coach Eric Chelle admitted before the final game that “mistakes have haunted us.”
On Tuesday, however, his players produced their most disciplined performance of the tournament, frustrating Congo, who had come into the clash needing a win to stand any chance of progressing.
Congo coach Barthelemy Ngatsono had boldly declared on the eve of the match that “there is no alternative to victory.” But his side squandered several chances in the first half and lost composure late on, ending their campaign at the bottom of the group with two points.
For Chelle and Nigeria, the result was bittersweet. With eight key players unavailable due to overseas transfers, he was forced to reshuffle his squad in midstream. The early defeats against Sudan and Senegal ultimately proved too costly to recover from.
CAF Online, in its reaction, noted that while Nigeria’s exit was disappointing, they leave with dignity restored after salvaging a first victory in Dar es Salaam.
Sudan topped Group D on goal difference (+4), ahead of Senegal (+1). Both teams advanced unbeaten and will now look to extend their resilient defensive runs in the knockout stages.
For Super Eagles, the journey ends earlier than hoped, but the lessons from Dar es Salaam may prove valuable in rebuilding for future continental competitions.
