Nigeria’s Home-based Super Eagles were thrashed 4-0 by Sudan in the ongoiing African Nations Championship (CHAN).
The Group D clash on Tuesday happened in Zanzibar.
Eric Chelle’s side which had already lost 1-0 to Senegal in their opener, were overpowered by a Sudanese team that mixed physical dominance with sharp, decisive attacking play.
The result leaves Nigeria bottom of the group with zero points, a minus-five goal difference, and mathematically out of the tournament.
The tone was set early as Sudan pressed high, forcing errors in Nigeria’s defensive third. The breakthrough arrived bizarrely after 25 minutes when Leonard Ngenge, under pressure, turned the ball into his own net.
Abdel Raouf Yagoub had hit the post from close range, but Ngenge’s attempted clearance only wrong-footed goalkeeper Mustapha Lawal.
Things went from bad to worse before the interval. A handball by Ngenge handed Sudan a penalty, and Walieldin Khdir made no mistake, smashing the ball into the top right corner to make it 2-0. Nigeria nearly pulled one back in stoppage time, but Sikiru Alimi headed wide from close range.
Any hopes of a comeback were quickly snuffed out in the second half. Yagoub, a constant threat all evening, scored twice in seven minutes, first in the 55th minute with a composed left-footed finish into the bottom corner after Musa Hussien’s cutback, then again with a fierce right-footed shot high into the net.
From then on, Sudan controlled the game with discipline, frustrating Nigeria’s attempts to break through. Raymond Tochukwu struck the post late on, but Sudanese goalkeeper Mohamed Abooja stood firm.
With four points from two games, Sudan are now on the brink of the knockout stages. For Nigeria, the exit is a bitter one, the 2018 finalists were undone by defensive lapses and a lack of cutting edge up front.
