Nigeria ended their CHAN 2024 campaign with a 2-0 win over Congo in Dar es Salaam.
Despite the victory, Super Eagles crashed out as Sudan and Senegal advanced from Group D.
Nigeria concluded their TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 journey with a 2-0 triumph against Congo in Dar es Salaam. Unfortunately, the result was insufficient to secure their progress in the tournament. Meanwhile, Sudan and Senegal moved forward from Group D after their match ended in a 0-0 stalemate in Kampala.
Anas Yusuf and Sikiru Alimi’s goals offered a feeling of redemption for the Super Eagles, who had suffered losses in their first two matches. This win brought Nigeria’s total to three points, just one point shy of qualifying, while Congo, needing a win for survival, ended up at the bottom of the group with two points.
Both teams entered the match under pressure. Congo was fighting for survival, while Nigeria sought to redeem itself. The first half was cautious, yielding few scoring opportunities. Nigeria’s Olamilekan Adedayo was thwarted by goalkeeper Ulrich Samba, and Congo’s Japhet Mankou and Dechan Moussavou failed to convert headed chances.
Controversy emerged when Nigerian defender Steven Manyo avoided a potential red card following a VAR review, leaving the teams tied 0-0 at halftime.
The breakthrough arrived in the 56th minute when Sikiru Alimi’s knockdown set up Anas Yusuf, who scored Nigeria’s first goal of the tournament. Congo attempted to respond with long-range shots from Wilfrid Nkaya and Carly Ekongo, but neither posed a threat to Nigerian goalkeeper Victor Sochima.
Drama unfolded during stoppage time as Congo’s Charles Atipo was shown a red card after a VAR review. Goals scored by Anas Yusuf and Sikiru Alimi brought a sense of redemption to the Super Eagles, who had endured defeats in their initial two games.
Despite Nigeria’s win, results from other matches dictated their fate. The draw between Sudan and Senegal resulted in both teams finishing with five points, with Sudan advancing as group leaders due to superior goal difference (+4 compared to Senegal’s +1). Nigeria ended third with three points, while Congo exited the tournament with just two points.
Coach Eric Chelle acknowledged that earlier errors had cost the team dearly. Nigeria felt the impact of missing several key players who had moved abroad prior to the tournament, leading to issues with depth and cohesion.
For Congo, a lack of finishing quality proved detrimental, managing only two goals throughout their three matches.
As Sudan and Senegal now advance to the quarter-finals, Nigeria heads home with a sense of restored pride but faces significant questions regarding their preparation and performance on the continental stage.
