Nigeria’s Home-Based Super Eagles have crashed out of the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN) after suffering a heavy 4–0 defeat to Sudan in their second Group D match on Tuesday in Zanzibar.
Having already lost 1–0 to Senegal in their opening game, Eric Chelle’s men needed a win to keep their hopes alive. Instead, they were outclassed by a Sudanese side that combined physical dominance with quick, incisive attacking play. The result leaves Nigeria bottom of the group with no points, a minus-five goal difference, and no mathematical route to the knockout stage.
Sudan set the tone from the start with relentless pressing that forced errors in Nigeria’s defence. The breakthrough came in the 25th minute in unusual fashion when Leonard Ngenge, under pressure, diverted the ball into his own net after Abdel Raouf Yagoub had struck the post.
Ngenge’s night got worse before the break as a handball in the box gifted Sudan a penalty. Walieldin Khdir converted emphatically, firing into the top right corner to make it 2–0. Nigeria nearly reduced the deficit in first-half stoppage time, but Sikiru Alimi headed wide from close range.
Any hopes of a second-half fightback quickly evaporated. Yagoub, a constant menace, struck twice in seven minutes—first with a composed left-foot finish in the 55th minute from Musa Hussien’s cutback, then with a powerful right-foot shot into the roof of the net.
From there, Sudan managed the game with composure, frustrating Nigeria’s forward play. Raymond Tochukwu hit the post late on, but goalkeeper Mohamed Abooja kept his clean sheet intact.
With four points from two games, Sudan are now within touching distance of the knockout rounds. For Nigeria, the early exit is a bitter blow, as defensive errors and a blunt attack proved costly for the 2018 finalists.