The Nigeria Super Eagles B will hope to bounce back when they take on the Falcons of Sudan in their second group game at the ongoing CHAN tournament at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar on Tuesday night.
Eric Chelle’s side lost narrowly to defending champions Senegal last Tuesday, while Sudan were pegged back by Congo in a 1-1 draw on that same day. It is the second group game for either side after a week of rest, and it promises to be an exciting contest.
Since arriving in Zanzibar late last month for pre-CHAN preparations, the Nigerian side have failed to win a game, back-to-back draws against Zanzibar and a loss to Senegal in their Group D opener. On the other hand, Sudan, who are led by former Ghana head coach Kwesi Appiah, is aiming to build on their match day one result by compounding the woes of the Super Eagles.
It is a win-or-bust match for the Super Eagles, who are looking for redemption after the opening-day loss.
REDEMPTION WAY
Chelle and his Nigeria side have a huge task on their hand, and only a result against Sudan can get them back on track. The Super Eagles have been preparing for the past week, so they have had enough time to correct their mistakes from the first game and prepare well for the Sudan clash.
Sudan and Nigeria met at the 2018 edition of the CHAN tournament, where the Super Eagles edged the Falcons by a single goal to book their place in the competition’s final. Former Akwa United striker Gabriel Okechukwu scored the only goal in Marrakech.
Chelle could make changes to his starting XI, especially in midfield. The likes of Taofeeq Otaniyi, Alex Oyowah, and Haruna Hadi are looking to pick up one of the spots, as the team hopes to bounce back to winning ways.
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 is expected not to play in the tournament. Meanwhile, left-back Taiwo Abdulrafiu is back to full fitness.
THE OPPOSITION: SUDAN
Musa Hussein delivered an outstanding display for Sudan, netting the team’s only goal in their opening match against Congo. However, he was taken off injured in that game, but it appears he has recovered and is ready to feature in Tuesday’s clash.
Since that semifinal defeat to Nigeria seven years ago, the Falcons of Jediane have not done much in this competition, and their current winless run of form puts them at a disadvantage. However, Appiah’s men stunned Ghana to book their place at the AFCON in December, and they will be looking at getting a result against another West African giant.
SUDAN vs NIGERIA: KEY NUMBERS
In terms of the head-to-head, Nigeria have won nine times, while Sudan have only two wins, and the remaining matches ended as stalemates. Sudan claimed their maiden victory in November 1963, but had to wait until 2014 to defeat Nigeria again, ending a 10-match winless streak against the Super Eagles. In addition, the Super Eagles have won their last three clashes against the Falcons of Jediane.
MATCH DETAILS:
Match: Sudan vs Nigeria
Date: Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM (WAT)
Venue: Amaan Stadium, Zanzibar
WHAT THEY SAY:
Kwesi Appiah (Sudan head coach):
“We are preparing for the game very well. We have a chance to train until today. I hope we are in good shape for the game. Nigeria is one of the big countries in African Football. You show them some respect, but not fear them.”
Eric Chelle (Nigeria head coach):
“It’s good for us in terms of preparation, but we need to win. We have worked very hard in the past one week, and tomorrow, we will play the best game of our lives.”
HOW TO WATCH:
Sudan 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
It is a meeting of two sides with winless records in recent games. However, Nigeria do have a squad good enough to beat the Falcons of Sudan, and history is also on their side to spur them to a first win.
