By Sport Analyst
Emmanuel Afonja
Nigeria’s home-based Super Eagles have been dumped out of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) after suffering a humiliating 4–0 defeat to Sudan in their final group stage match.
The encounter, played at the Marrakech Stadium, saw the Sudanese side dominate from start to finish, exposing defensive lapses and poor coordination in the Nigerian team. Sudan opened the scoring early in the first half, capitalising on a mix-up at the back, before doubling their lead with a clinical strike just before the break.
Hopes of a Nigerian comeback were quickly dashed in the second half as Sudan piled on the pressure, adding two more goals to seal what many have described as one of the Eagles’ worst performances in CHAN history.
The loss means Nigeria exit the tournament at the group stage, a huge disappointment for fans and stakeholders who had hoped for a stronger showing. The team’s lack of creativity in midfield, poor finishing in attack, and defensive errors proved costly, with Sudan exploiting every weakness.
Head coach and technical staff have come under heavy criticism, with calls for urgent reforms in the country’s domestic football setup. Analysts believe that the result underscores the need for better preparation, scouting, and investment in the home-based squad to compete at continental level.
Sudan’s victory, on the other hand, sends them through to the knockout stage with momentum, as they continue their impressive CHAN campaign.
For Nigeria, it is another bitter reminder that reputation alone does not win matches — only solid preparation, discipline, and execution do.
