Nigeria’s Super Eagles departed the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship in Dar es Salaam with a 2-0 victory over Congo that restored some dignity but could not repair the damage of earlier defeats.
Goals from Anas Yusuf and Sikiru Alimi gave the West Africans their first and only points of the campaign, but results elsewhere ensured their elimination from Group D.
In Kampala, Sudan and Senegal played out a cautious goalless draw that secured both nations safe passage to the quarter-finals.
Sudan topped the group on goal difference, while Senegal finished second. Nigeria’s late rally left them stranded on three points, one short of the target, with Congo bottom after a bruising tournament.
The match in Dar es Salaam was framed as a battle of survival. Congo required victory to remain in contention, while Nigeria sought to silence criticism after shipping five goals without reply in their opening two fixtures.
Coach Eric Chelle had spoken of finding rhythm and pride, while his Congolese counterpart Barthelemy Ngatsono described the contest as “a game without alternatives.”
The first half revealed more fear than ambition. It was cagey and scrappy, punctuated by missed headers from Japhet Mankou and Dechan Moussavou for Congo, while Nigeria’s Olamilekan Adedayo drew a smart save from Ulrich Samba.
Tempers frayed before the interval when Nigerian defender Steven Manyo appeared to be sent off after a VAR intervention, only for confusion among officials to see play continue.
The breakthrough arrived in the 56th minute. Alimi rose highest in the box to nod down for Yusuf, who finished sharply to record Nigeria’s first goal of the competition.
Congo never recovered. Despite Ngatsono’s substitutions, their forward play lacked imagination, relying on long shots that rarely threatened Victor Sochima in the Nigerian goal.
The game ended with a flourish. Congo’s Charles Atipo was dismissed in stoppage time after a VAR review upgraded his booking to a red card. From the resulting free kick, substitute Sodiq Ismail delivered an inch-perfect cross which Alimi powered home to seal the win. For Nigeria, the joy was real but fleeting.
The wider picture is less flattering. Chelle admitted his side were haunted by errors and undermined by the absence of eight first-team players who had moved abroad before the tournament. The result underlined the structural weakness of relying on hurriedly assembled domestic squads, a problem that has plagued Nigeria in recent editions of CHAN.
Congo’s frustrations were no less stark. A return of just two goals in three matches spoke of a lack of composure in front of goal. For Ngatsono, the tournament will be remembered as a story of chances wasted.
Sudan and Senegal march into the quarter-finals with defences that have proved difficult to penetrate. Nigeria and Congo depart with pride dented but questions raised about preparation, depth and planning. In African football politics, tournaments like CHAN continue to reveal not only individual failings but also the deeper tensions between domestic football development and the lure of overseas leagues. Until that dilemma is addressed, performances like Nigeria’s in Tanzania will remain an uncomfortable reflection of unfinished business.
