- Nigeria beat Congo 2-0 in Dar es Salaam but still crashed out of CHAN.
- Anas Yusuf and Sikiru Alimi scored Nigeria’s first goals of the tournament.
- Sudan and Senegal drew 0-0 to secure safe passage from Group D.
- Nigeria and Congo both eliminated, raising fresh questions on preparation.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles bowed out of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) with a 2-0 victory over Congo, a result that restored a measure of pride but could not undo earlier damage. The three points were their first of the campaign, yet not enough to qualify from Group D.
Elsewhere in Kampala, Sudan and Senegal played to a cautious goalless draw. The result confirmed both sides in the quarter-finals, Sudan topping the group on goal difference and Senegal finishing second. Nigeria’s late revival left them third on three points, while Congo ended bottom without a win.
The Nigeria–Congo clash was billed as a fight for survival. Congo needed a win to stay alive, while Nigeria were desperate to shake off criticism after shipping five unanswered goals in earlier matches. The first half offered more nerves than action. Congo’s Japhet Mankou and Dechan Moussavou wasted headed chances, while goalkeeper Ulrich Samba denied Nigeria’s Olamilekan Adedayo. Tensions rose when Nigerian defender Steven Manyo appeared to be sent off after a VAR review, only for confusion among referees to keep him on the pitch.
The second half brought relief for the West Africans. In the 56th minute, Sikiru Alimi headed the ball down for Anas Yusuf, who struck cleanly to register Nigeria’s first goal of the tournament. Congo, despite substitutions, never found rhythm and resorted to long-range efforts that rarely troubled goalkeeper Victor Sochima.
The contest ended in drama. Congo’s Charles Atipo saw his yellow card upgraded to red after a VAR check. From the free kick, Sodiq Ismail whipped in a pinpoint cross that Alimi converted with a powerful header, sealing a 2-0 victory.
Coach Eric Chelle admitted that earlier errors and the absence of eight first-team players, who had left for foreign clubs before the tournament, left his squad exposed. The result highlighted Nigeria’s recurring CHAN problem: reliance on hastily gathered domestic squads without proper preparation.
Congo’s coach, Barthelemy Ngatsono, faced similar frustrations. His team managed just two goals in three games, their lack of sharpness in front of goal proving costly.
Sudan and Senegal advance with disciplined defences, while Nigeria and Congo head home with bruised reputations. Beyond the results, CHAN once again exposed a deeper African football struggle: balancing domestic league development with the constant drain of players to foreign leagues. Until that gap is fixed, teams like Nigeria may continue to struggle on this stage.
