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On Tuesday, Sudan decisively defeated the higher-ranked Nigeria 4-0 in Zanzibar, securing the top position in Group D and eliminating the Super Eagles from the tournament with one match remaining.
Abdel Raouf Yagoub, Sudan's key player, scored twice in the second half, complementing Leonard Ngenge's unfortunate own goal and Walieldin Khdir's powerful penalty, resulting in a performance described by coach Kwesi Appiah as “a disciplined, ruthless display that adhered to our game plan from start to finish.”
Appiah emphasized their solid defense and quick transitions, stating, “Against a team like Nigeria, you can't afford to lose focus. The boys executed our strategy flawlessly tonight,” according to a post-match report from the CAF website.
Nigeria had a promising start, creating early opportunities and witnessing Raymond Tochukwu narrowly miss a shot in the 11th minute.
The breakthrough appeared near when Anthony Ijoma scored in the 22nd minute, but VAR disallowed the goal for offside just moments later. Within three minutes, disaster struck as Yagoub hit the post, and the rebound fortuitously went in off Ngenge for an own goal.
Things worsened just before halftime when Ngenge committed a handball in the box; Khdir converted the penalty with a powerful shot into the top-right corner, making it 2-0. Nigeria’s coach Eric Chelle lamented, “We lost focus at crucial moments. When you’re trailing Sudan, the pitch closes in on you.”
At halftime, Chelle introduced three substitutes, but Sudan maintained control. In the 55th minute, Yagoub scored again, finishing smoothly into the bottom-right corner after a setup by Musa Hussien.
Just seven minutes later, Yagoub added to the lead with a clinical shot into the top-left corner following a turnover. From that point, Sudan tightened their defense, with Khdir, Yaser Awad, and Ali Abdalla effectively pressuring, the full-backs making well-timed advances, and goalkeeper Mohamed Abooja thwarting Nigeria's meager chances, including a late header from Steven Manyo.
For Nigeria, the stats paint a grim picture: two matches played, no goals scored, and five conceded.
Their CHAN campaign ends disappointingly due to lapses in concentration, ineffective attacking, and weaknesses on the flanks. In contrast, Sudan's performance shines with four points from two matches, five goals scored, and only one conceded.
They will face Senegal in a critical match where a draw might suffice for advancement, but Appiah made it clear they aim to win every match. “We respect Senegal, but our goal is to win every game.
This result counts for little if we don't build on it,” he stated. While the defending champions Senegal were held to a draw by Congo, Sudan celebrated the support of their traveling fans, while Nigeria’s players exited the field with lowered heads.
