Nigeria bowed out of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday, despite a 2–0 victory over Congo in their final Group D fixture.
Anas Yusuf opened scoring in the 56th minute to end Nigeria’s goal drought in the competition, before Sikiru Alimi sealed the win with a stoppage-time header. The result lifted the Super Eagles B side to three points, but it was not enough to secure qualification for the quarter-finals.
Sudan and Senegal advanced from the group after playing out a goalless draw in Kampala, finishing joint top with five points each. Sudan edged the group on goal difference (+4) while Senegal followed with +1. Nigeria ended third with three points, and Congo placed bottom with two.
Head coach Eric Chelle described the victory as bittersweet, noting that his side showed greater discipline after suffering heavy defeats in their opening two matches. “Mistakes have haunted us,” he admitted before kickoff, but praised the players’ improved display in their final outing.
Congo, who needed a win to stay alive in the tournament, squandered clear chances in the first half and were reduced to ten men after Charles Atipo was sent off in stoppage time following a VAR review. Moments later, Alimi’s header confirmed their elimination.
Despite Nigeria’s exit, the win was seen as a morale boost after a turbulent campaign that saw the team concede five goals without reply in their earlier matches. With several key players unavailable due to overseas transfers, Chelle was forced to rebuild on short notice, a challenge that proved costly.
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