Nigeria Super Eagles B will hope to finish their CHAN 2024 campaign with a win over Congo in their final group D game at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Tuesday night.
Eric Chelle’s side have already been knocked out of the competition after defeats to Senegal and Sudan in their first two games. The home-based lads lost 1-0 to defending champions Senegal on match day 1, before a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of the Falcons of Sudan in the second group game.
On the other hand, Congo have a good chance of reaching the quarterfinals if they manage to win against the Super Eagles, and the other group game between Senegal and Sudan at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar goes their way. The Congolese side have two points from their previous two games, and they will be coming into the clash with the advantage against the winless Nigerians.
It is a match about pride and the quest to reach the last eight in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday night.
PLAYING FOR HONOUR
Chelle and his side have had a terrible outing in the CHAN tournament. They have failed to score in their opening two games, and they have not scored at this level since the semifinal win over Sudan seven years ago.
The head coach could make changes to his starting XI, especially in midfield. The likes of Alex Oyowah, Harrison Uzondu, and Haruna Hadi are looking to pick up one of the spots, as the team hopes to finish on a high.
In attack, the head coach will be relying on Sikiru Alimi, Anas Yusuf, and Anthony Ijoma to come up with the goods as they look for their first goal of the competition.
However, the Eagles have suffered a huge blow, as first-choice goalkeeper Ani Ozoemena has still not recovered from a knee problem that has kept him out since the start of the tournament. Meanwhile, Stephen Manyo, who suffered a slight shoulder injury earlier in training, has returned to full fitness and could start ahead of Leonard Ngenge.
THE OPPOSITION: CONGO
Dechan Moussavou scored Congo’s goal against Senegal a week ago, but they could not hold on for a first win. The side will be keen to get one over the Nigerians, who have been committing several errors at the back since the tournament started.
The Red Devils reached the last eight in 2018 and 2020, and they stand a chance once again if results go their way. Goalkeeper Chelcy Bonazebi remains a star performer for the side, and he could be key in this important fixture.
NIGERIA v CONGO: KEY NUMBERS
- This is the first-ever meeting between the two sides at this level.
- Nigeria are winless (3L) in their past three competitive appearances at CHAN, and they have also not scored a goal.
- After defeats to Senegal and Sudan, Nigeria have been eliminated from the group stage of the competition.
MATCH DETAILS:
Match: Nigeria vs Congo
Date: Tuesday, August 19, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM (WAT)
Venue: Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Dar es Salaam
HOW TO WATCH:
Nigeria vs Congo will be available to watch on multiple platforms. For cable TV subscribers in Nigeria, the game will be live on SuperSport, while BeIN Sports will offer global streaming access.
FINAL WORD
Nigeria, who have nothing to play for, have been underwhelming in this tournament, but there is enough quality in the side. However, the Red Devils are optimistic about reaching the next round, so they will be motivated to go for the win.
