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Sudan produced one of the most startling results of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) so far, thrashing Nigeria 4–0 at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar. The victory catapulted Sudan to the top of Group D while simultaneously ending the Home Eagles’ tournament hopes with a game to spare.
Nigeria seemed poised to take the lead in the 22nd minute when Anthony Ijoma netted a brilliant strike, only for VAR to rule it out for offside. Just three minutes later, Sudan opened the scoring in bizarre fashion. Yagoub’s shot cannoned off the post and ricocheted off Nigeria’s Leonard Ngenge into the net (25’), giving the visitors a fortuitous advantage.
The Home Eagles’ woes worsened before half-time. Ngenge, still recovering from the earlier misfortune, handled the ball in the penalty area (43’). Sudan captain Walieldin Khdir calmly converted the spot-kick into the top-right corner (44’), leaving Nigeria stunned. Nigeria still threatened briefly before the break, with Sikiru Alimi coming close twice, but the scores remained 2–0 at the interval.
In a bid to spark a comeback, coach Eric Chelle introduced a triple substitution at half-time, bringing on Steven Manyo, Jabbar Malik, and Vincent Temitope. The changes, however, failed to turn the tide as Sudan continued to dominate. Tochukwu’s free-kick skimmed wide (52’), and moments later, Sudan capitalised on a loose ball. Musa Hussien’s persistence created chaos, allowing Yagoub, outstanding throughout the match, to slot a left-footed strike into the bottom-right corner (55’). He completed his brace seven minutes later, curling in a fourth from the centre of the area (62’) after a swift Sudanese counter-attack.
From there, Sudan controlled the remainder of the match with composure. Their midfield trio disrupted Nigeria’s rhythm and recycled possession efficiently, while full-backs Ahmed Tabanja and Mazin Simbo balanced defensive solidity with timely forays forward.
The result coincided with Senegal being held 1–1 by Congo, leaving Group D finely poised ahead of the final round. Sudan and Senegal sit on four points each, Congo on two, while Nigeria has been eliminated.
For Nigeria, the statistics tell a grim story: two matches played, no goals scored, and five conceded. Despite Chelle’s side creating half-chances, their lack of precision in crossing and composure in front of goal, coupled with defensive lapses down the flanks, proved costly. Bookings for Tabanja (50’) and Shola Adelani (81’) reflected a match increasingly stretched, but only Sudan appeared likely to add to their tally.
The result marks a humiliating exit for the Home Eagles and underscores Sudan’s rising prowess at CHAN 2024, leaving fans and analysts alike re-evaluating Group D’s dynamics ahead of the final round of fixtures.
