The Nigeria Super Eagles B begin their quest for a maiden CAF CHAN title on Tuesday against the Teranga Lions of Senegal in their opening Group D match of the 8th edition of the tournament, at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar.
The Nigerians, comprising players from the Nigeria Premier Football League, led by Eric Chelle, are returning to the competition for the first time since the 2018 final defeat. In three previous appearances, they finished on the podium twice (3rd and 2nd) and a group stage exit in 2016.
The first hurdle for the Eagles is a date with the defending champions of the competition – Senegal. Nigeria finished its preparations for the tournament with a pair of draws against lowly rated Zanzibar, while Senegal also lost both of their matches in the pre-CHAN tournament organized by CECAFA.
Like Chelle, Nigeria’s Super Eagles are filled with debutants, with only Sikiru Alimi and Godwin Obaje having made their debut in the NPFL at the last time we played in the competition.
Having missed the editions in Cameroon (2020) and Algeria (2022), the Eagles are back in contention, and they are aiming for gold this time around.
PRESSURE TO DELIVER
Chelle and his side have a huge task on their hand, and only a result against the defending champions can ease that pressure. The Franco-Malian has selected a rich squad with nine of the players coming from NPFL champions Remo Stars. Others like Michael Tochukwu, Alex Oyowah, Anthony Ijoma, who scored in three consecutive test games in Ikenne, and Anas Yusuf will be relied upon for goals.
This is also Nigeria’s fifth CHAN match against a West African team. The Eagles’ past results in these encounters include losses to Mali and Guinea, a draw with Ghana (followed by a penalty loss), and a 4-1 victory over Niger in 2016.
Meanwhile, Sikiru Alimi and Godwin Obaje will hope to add their past continental experience at the club level to lead the Nigerian side to a winning start against one of the pre-tournament favourites on Tuesday.
HISTORY IS KIND TO US
Since losing their first-ever group stage opener to Mali in January 2014, Nigeria have not lost a tournament opening game. In 2016, Sunday Oliseh’s side thumped Niger 4-1 with Chisom Chikatara scoring a hat-trick in the encounter in Kigali, while Salisu Yusuf’s 2018 side drew goalless with Rwanda in Tangier.
Since taking over in January 2025, Eric Chelle has remained unbeaten as the head coach of the Super Eagles, and he will be keen to extend that run with the home-based lads in this contest against the defending champions.
THE OPPOSITION: SENEGAL
This is Senegal’s fourth CHAN appearance, but the Lions of Teranga, having emerged champions in the previous edition, have confidence going into this contest. In the maiden edition of the competition, they finished fourth before crashing out at the group stages two years later.
Meanwhile, Senegal have played four previous matches against West African opposition at CHAN, including a goalless draw with Côte d’Ivoire and a 1-1 draw with Ghana (which they lost on penalties) in 2009. In the 2022 edition, they defeated Côte d’Ivoire and Mauritania 1-0 in the group stage and quarterfinals, respectively. Notably, the Senegalese have emerged victorious in each of their last three tournament openers.
As a versatile forward, Oumar Ba’s combination of physical prowess and exceptional positioning makes him a nightmare for defenders, and the Nigerians will have to keep their eyes on him. In midfield, they also have Baye Assane Ciss, whose vision, precision in passing, and ability to control the game’s tempo are vital assets.
However, they have lost their 2022 title-winning head coach, Pape Thiaw, who is now managing the ‘A’ team. The former striker is now part of CAF’s Technical Study Group for this tournament in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
MATCH DETAILS:
Match: Senegal vs Nigeria
Date: Tuesday, August 5, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM (WAT)
Venue: Amaan Stadium, Zanzibar
WHAT THEY SAY:
Souleymane Diallo (Senegal head coach):
“Football is made of pressure; these are moments of emotional management. For us, it’s not pressure, it’s taking responsibility. We are the reigning champions, we’re not here to defend the title, but we’re here to seek another title.”
Eric Chelle (Nigeria head coach):
“This is the great game. Senegal has a big team. So, our preparation for the first game, I think our preparation was good, and we are ready to play this first game. We will try to put in this game what we worked on in the past four weeks.”
HOW TO WATCH:
Senegal vs Nigeria 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
Based on history, Senegal have the edge, and being defending champions, they will be confident. While Eric Chelle’s side will hope to capitalize on Senegal’s consecutive losses before this game. It is a heavyweight clash, and it remains to be seen what the two West African giants have in store for everyone.
