Sudan pulled off the biggest upset of CHAN PAMOJA 2024 so far, humiliating higher-ranked Nigeria 4–0 in Zanzibar to storm to the top of Group D and dump the Super Eagles B out of the competition with a game to spare.
The encounter at the Amaan Stadium began in chaotic fashion for Nigeria. Just ten minutes in, Leonard Ngenge’s attempted clearance ricocheted into his own net after Abdel Raouf Yagoub’s driven shot came back off the post.
The early blow rattled the Nigerians, and Sudan kept pressing, forcing errors in midfield and stretching their opponents’ backline.
Nigeria thought they had equalised midway through the first half, but the goal was ruled out for offside after a VAR review. Moments later, disaster struck again.
Ngenge handled the ball inside the box, and Walieldin Khidir made no mistake from the penalty spot, sending the Sudanese fans into wild celebrations just before the break.
The second half showcased Sudan’s ruthlessness — and Yagoub’s clinical instincts. The midfielder struck in the 55th minute with a sharp finish from a counter-attack, then doubled his personal tally seven minutes later by slotting home from close range after a slick passing move sliced through Nigeria’s static defence.
After the match, Yagoub didn’t hold back in his assessment of the opposition:
“They are very slow on the ball and their recovery rate is very poor — that’s what we capitalized on. Their defence made a lot of mistakes, their strikers are slow, and when our coach said all we needed was quick contact play and to get the ball into the 18, we executed it perfectly.”
The result leaves Sudan on four points, level with Senegal but ahead on goal difference, setting up a potential group-deciding clash between the two. Nigeria, meanwhile, find themselves bottom with zero points and officially eliminated.
The atmosphere in Zanzibar was electric, with Sudanese fans chanting non-stop, their voices echoing across the stadium as their team produced a performance of tactical discipline and blistering counter-attacks.
Sports247 is providing exclusive live coverage from Zanzibar, made possible through the invaluable support of Showtime, whose partnership has ensured fans back home witness every twist and turn of Nigeria’s CHAN 2024 journey — even the most painful chapters.
