…Joins Niger, Sudan, others

Nigeria’s home-based Super Eagles on Saturday tamed the Black Gallacies of Ghana 3-1 in Uyo to pick one of the available slots for TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024.

Nigeria became the latest team to secure a spot in the 2024 CHAN following a goalless draw in Accra, Ghana last weekend.

All three goals scored by Nigeria came in the first half, while Ghana’s consolation goal came in the second half, but was not enough to save the Black Gallacies.

“They may be depending on so much history and the times they have been victorious over Nigeria, especially in the CHAN, but we are blind to that,” Coach Daniel Ogunmodede said, as he emphasised that the team was undeterred by Ghana’s past successess.

The Nigerian side is making a return to the tournament after missing out in the last two editions in 2018 and 2022

The 2024 CHAN will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania from February 1 to 28, 2025.

CHAN is exclusive to players competing in the domestic leagues accross Africa and offers a platform to showcase local talent on a continental stage.

Earlier on Friday, Niger secured a spot in the 2024 CHAN following a goalless draw against Togo in their second-leg encounter.

The Mena A’ side advanced on the away goals rule, having drawn 1-1 in the first leg played in Lomé.

The match, held at the Stade du 26 Mars in Bamako, Mali, saw both teams produce a cautious performance.

Despite their efforts, the local Sparrowhawks of Togo failed to find the breakthrough they needed to overcome Niger’s slight advantage.

The result ensures Niger’s fifth appearance in the CHAN finals, cementing their status as one of the competition’s consistent performers.

Meanwhile, Sudan became the first team to book a place in the 2024 CHAN after a resilient 2-1 victory over Ethiopia in their second-leg clash on Wednesday.

The result, combined with a 2-0 win in the first leg, saw the Nile Crocodiles comfortably advance 4-1 on aggregate to play in the tournament following Wednesday’s match.

Musa Kanti opened the scoring in the 16th minute for Sudan in front of a jubilant home crowd, piling pressure on the Walya Antelopes, who faced a daunting three-goal deficit.

Ethiopia struggled to find a foothold in the first half as Sudan’s defence held firm.

After the break, the visitors showed more determination and were rewarded in the 65th minute when Bekele Berhane struck to level the game.

However, Ethiopia’s joy was short-lived. Just four minutes later, Sudan’s captain Mohamed Abdelrahman restored the lead with a clinical finish, sealing the win for Sudan’s fourth CHAN qualification.

Ethiopia’s spirited effort fell short as the Walya Antelopes failed to overturn their first-leg deficit.

Sudan maintained control over both legs of the qualifiers to secure back-to-back CHAN appearances.

Sudan now looks ahead to February’s tournament, co-hosted by Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, where they hope to make a significant impact.

As the qualifiers continue, nine additional teams were decided on Saturday.

Burkina Faso overturned a 2-0 first-leg deficit against Côte d’Ivoire with a 2-0 home win, and went through on penalties.

Cameroon on the other hand lost 1-2 to Central African Republic to miss out of the 2024 CHAN.

Other scores are Zambia 3-0 Mozambique; DR Congo 3-1 Chad; Guinea Bissau 1-2 Guinea

The final four spots for the CHAN 2024 tournament will be determined on Sunday, with Mali looking to recover from a 1-0 loss in their first-leg clash against Mauritania.