Nigeria’s home-based Eagles suffered a crushing 4-0 loss to Sudan in the African Nations Championship in Zanzibar.
The heavy defeat confirmed Nigeria’s early exit from the tournament. The team had already been under pressure after losing their first match 1-0 to Senegal.
This latest setback means their final Group D match against Congo in Dar es Salaam will be meaningless in terms of qualification.
The result equals Nigeria’s worst ever defeat in the competition, matching the 2018 final loss to Morocco.
Many fans were left disappointed and angry as the team failed to show fighting spirit throughout the match.
Early Mistakes Prove Costly
The match started with both sides pushing forward but Nigeria’s defence collapsed in the 23rd minute.
Defender Leonard Ngenge, already under criticism for poor defending against Senegal, accidentally scored into his own net. The mistake gave Sudan the lead and changed the flow of the game.
Before halftime, Ngenge was again in the spotlight when he handled the ball in the box during an aerial challenge.
Sudan’s Daiyeen calmly scored from the penalty spot, making it 2-0. The Nigerian goalkeeper Lawal Mustapha could only watch as the ball rolled past him.
Sudan Takes Full Control
In the second half, Sudan showed no mercy. Just 10 minutes after the break, Yagoub Omer beat the Nigerian defence with a clean finish to make it 3-0. Nigeria’s defenders struggled to keep up with Sudan’s pace and movement.
Seven minutes later, Omer struck again with a powerful shot that bounced off the crossbar and into the net. Mustapha had no chance to save it. The fourth goal sealed Sudan’s dominance and left Nigeria with no way back.
The loss leaves Nigeria without a single point after two matches. Their poor defence, lack of creativity in attack and costly errors have been the main reasons for the early exit.
For many fans, the result was a painful reminder of the work still needed to rebuild the home-based team.
Sudan now stands a strong chance of reaching the knockout stage, while Nigeria heads home early. The players and coaches will face tough questions about preparation and performance as attention turns to future competitions.
