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Nigeria’s journey at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) came to an abrupt and painful end after suffering a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Sudan in their second Group D match on Monday.
The home-based Super Eagles, who had been aiming to revive their campaign after an opening loss, now sit bottom of the table with zero points and no chance of progressing to the knockout stage.
Early Hope, Quick Disappointment
It seemed like Nigeria might turn things around when Anthony Ijoma found the back of the net in the 22nd minute following a swift counterattack. However, the celebrations were short-lived as the goal was disallowed for offside.
Sudan seized the momentum just three minutes later, breaking the deadlock in the 25th minute. Things worsened for Nigeria right before halftime when Sudan converted a penalty in the 44th minute to make it 2-0.
Second-Half Collapse
Any hopes of a comeback were dashed early in the second half. Sudan struck again in the 55th minute, before adding a fourth just seven minutes later in the 62nd minute. Nigeria’s defense struggled to cope with Sudan’s relentless attacking play, while their own offense looked blunt and disorganized.
Speaking after the match, Nigeria’s head coach described the defeat as “a painful lesson for the team” and promised a thorough review of the team’s preparation and tactics. “We came here with ambition, but the reality is we fell short in every department today,” he said.
Group D Standings and Next Steps
With this result, Nigeria remain rooted to the bottom of Group D and will exit the tournament after their final group match against Congo, regardless of the outcome.
Senegal and Sudan now lead the group with four points each, while Congo sit in third place with one point. Matchday three will determine which two sides advance to the knockout rounds.
While the campaign has ended in disappointment for Nigeria, the CHAN tournament has highlighted areas needing urgent improvement in the country’s home-based football development. The Super Eagles will need to rebuild and learn from this experience to avoid similar heartbreak in future competitions.
Fans, though frustrated, continue to hope for a stronger showing in upcoming tournaments, with calls for better preparation, stronger scouting, and tactical discipline.
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