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We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
Christian Gomis scored the decisive goal in the 75th minute to hand the Teranga Lions a winning start, in a match marked by flashes of attacking quality, fierce duels, and disciplined defending.
Facing each other as two of the continent’s football powerhouses, both teams traded early blows in an encounter that brimmed with intensity from the outset.
Nigeria, making their return to the CHAN finals for the first time since 2018, began brightly. Captain Nduka Junior and Raymond Michael Tochukwu pressed high and hard, though both were booked early on as tempers flared and tackles flew.
Despite Nigeria’s early aggression, Senegal found their rhythm first. Showing composure in possession and tactical discipline, they gradually took control of proceedings.
Clear-cut chances were scarce in the first half, but Sikiru Alimi forced Senegal’s Marc Diouf into a smart save, while Daouda Ba and Moctar Koïté tested Nigeria’s defence with efforts from range.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 75th minute. Koïté surged down the right flank and delivered a pinpoint low cross. Gomis timed his run perfectly and calmly slotted home with his left foot, sparking celebrations from the Senegalese bench.
In response, Nigeria introduced Vincent Temitope and Godwin Obaje in a bid to inject fresh energy into the attack. Temitope nearly drew Nigeria level in the dying minutes, but his effort curled narrowly wide. Jabbar Malik and Alimi also threatened from set pieces, but Senegal’s backline—marshalled by Seyni Ndiaye and Joseph Layousse—held firm.
The second half was punctuated by injuries and substitutions, disrupting the flow. As frustration grew, Nigeria’s Shola Adelani was penalised for a handball in stoppage time, summing up a night of missed chances.
Despite the narrow loss, Nigeria head coach Éric Chelle remained positive:
“We’ll take each game as it comes,” he said, with fixtures against Congo and Sudan still to come.
Senegal, meanwhile, extended their unbeaten run against West African sides in CHAN history and notched their sixth 1-0 win in the competition—highlighting their continued defensive prowess.
Head coach Souleymane Diallo, who had previously downplayed the pressure of defending the title, watched his side deliver a calm and disciplined display worthy of champions.
With the win, Senegal sit top of Group D, while Nigeria drop to the bottom after Sudan and Congo played out a 1-1 draw earlier in the day.
Nigeria will return to action next Tuesday, facing Sudan at the Amaan Stadium in a must-win encounter.
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