By Satish Sekar © Satish Sekar (August 12^th 2025)

Group D Matchday 2

Defending champions Sénégal were held 1-1 by Congo who surprised the Teranga Lions by taking the lead through Dechan Moussavou after 19 minutes from close range at the near post after an attack down the left wing – the cross by Charles Atipo invited Moussavou to give the Congolese the lead and he needed no second invitation.

Joseph Layousse Samb salvaged a point with 8 minutes of normal time remaining – a similar goal but the assist came from the right wing. Ousseynou Seck provide the pass for Samb to score.

The shock of the tournament so far came in the other Group D fixture as former Black Stars coach, Kwesi Appiah, took Jollof Derby bragging rights of sorts as his Sudan team thrashed Eric Chelle’s Nigeria 4-0. After Abdel Raouf Yagoub’s effort rebounded off the woodwork Leonard Ngenge headed into his own goal after 25 minutes to give Sudan the lead. Nigeria, needing a win, had already had a goal by Anthony Ijoma disallowed for offside after a VAR check.

Sudan doubled their lead after the luckless Ngenge was penalised for handball. Walleldin Khedr’s penalty sent the goalkeeper the wrong way as half time beckoned. Yagoub completed the thrashing with a second half brace. Ten minutes into the second half an attack down the left by Musa Hussein gave Yagoub the chance to make it safe even after he slipped. He recovered to make space and shoot to the opposite corner to make it 3-0. Yagoub pounced for the fourth and best goal after a defensive header set him up to volley it in off the underside of the bar.

Chelle’s substitutions had little impact – Nigeria was out of the CHAN after just two matches with one to play. Sénégal is second on goal difference to Sudan – both on 4 points and Congo is third with 2 points. Nigeria has no points with nothing but pride to play for in a tournament the Super Eagles has never won.