Sudan produced a masterclass performance at the ongoing 2024 African Nations of Championship (CHAN), dismantling higher-ranked Nigeria 4–0 in Zanzibar to go top of Group D and, in the process, knock the Super Eagles out of the tournament with a game to spare.
Abdel Raouf Yagoub struck twice after the break to add to an early Leonard Ngenge own goal and Walieldin Khdir’s penalty, capping a ruthless, disciplined display that left Nigeria bottom with zero points from two matches.
The result arrives on a day when title holders Senegal were held 1–1 by Congo, leaving the standings finely poised for the final round: Sudan and Senegal on four points apiece, Congo on two, and Nigeria out of contention.
With only four teams in Group D, the Super Eagles can now reach a maximum of three points — not enough to finish in the top two.
How the drama unfolded
Nigeria began with urgency and plenty of set-piece pressure. Corners on eight and nine minutes asked early questions of Mohamed Abooja’s handling, while Raymond Tochukwu sliced wide from distance (11’).
Sudan, coached by Ghanaian Kwesi Appiah, absorbed the punches and then struck with the evening’s first big twist.
On 22 minutes, Anthony Ijoma thought he had put Nigeria ahead after stealing in behind, only for VAR to rule the effort out for offside. Three minutes later Sudan punished the reprieve with a freakish opener: Yagoub’s shot cannoned off the post and ricocheted in off the unfortunate Ngenge (25’).
A blow became a body-shot just before the break when Ngenge’s miserable few minutes continued — a handball in the box (43’) — allowing captain Walieldin Khdir to crash home the penalty into the top-right corner (44’).
Nigeria still had a sniff before half-time when Sikiru Alimi went close twice, glancing wide from a cross (39’) and prodding past the post in stoppage time (45+4’), but the Super Eagles trudged in two down.
Eric Chelle rolled the dice at the interval with a triple change — Steven Manyo, Jabbar Malik and Vincent Temitope on — in search of a response. Instead, Sudan tightened their grip. Tochukwu’s free-kick flew over (52’) and, almost immediately, the Falcons of Jediane pounced again.
Yagoub takes over the show
Musa Hussien’s persistence created chaos and Yagoub, outstanding all evening between the lines, arrived to steer a left-footed finish into the bottom-right corner (55’). Seven minutes later he iced the contest, sweeping in a fourth from the centre of the area to the top-left (62’) after Sudan pinched possession and broke with clarity and conviction.
From there, Appiah’s side managed the game with a cool head. Sudan’s midfield trio snapped into duels and recycled the ball smartly, while full-backs Ahmed Tabanja and Mazin Simbo picked their moments to progress or, more often, to stay compact.
When Nigeria did engineer sights of goal, Abooja stood firm — notably clutching Manyo’s late header (84’). Tochukwu rattled the post from range (90’), summing up Nigeria’s night: speculative, hurried, and ultimately fruitless.
Organisation rewarded, Nigeria unravel
What will delight Appiah most is how closely Sudan’s performance mirrored his pre-match blueprint. They were disciplined without the ball, fast in transition and ruthless in the box. Khdir knitted play and led the press; Yaser Awad stretched the pitch on the right; Ali Abdalla and Hussien worked tirelessly.
Even the bench kept the standard: late introductions Mohamed Tia Asad, Al-Misbah Faisal and Awad Zayed helped see out the game with minimal fuss.
For Nigeria, the statistics and the storyline are stark. Two matches, no goals, five conceded. The disallowed goal at 22 minutes changed nothing about a defensive display that never recovered from Ngenge’s double calamity before half-time.
Chelle’s side created half-chances, but lacked precision in crossing and composure in front of goal; when the press was bypassed, they were repeatedly exposed down the flanks. Bookings for Ahmed Tabanja (50’) and Shola Adelani (81’) reflected a contest growing increasingly stretched — but only one team looked likely to score again.
What it means
With Senegal drawing earlier, Sudan’s emphatic win lifts them to first on goal difference (played 2: W1 D1 L0, GF 5 GA 1).
Senegal are second on four points, Congo third on two, and Nigeria fourth on zero — mathematically eliminated, because even a final-day victory would only take them to three points.
Sudan face Senegal in a top-of-the-table decider where a draw could be enough depending on Congo’s result; victory would confirm a statement qualification and underline Appiah’s growing imprint on this team.
Nigeria meet Congo with pride at stake and questions to answer about structure, selection and execution at tournament level.
A disciplined, confident Sudan earned every cheer; a shell-shocked Nigeria must now regroup and rebuild. On a night of high stakes in Zanzibar, the Falcons soared — and the Super Eagles were grounded.
