Home-based Eagles
The home-based Eagles have crashed out in the group stage of the ongoing African Nations Championships (CHAN) co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
The Eric Chelle-led team was thrashed 4-0 by Sudan in their second game of the competition at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar, Tanzania, on Tuesday.
The result was the team’s second loss after the defeat to Senegal in the opening game.
Nigeria stay rooted to the bottom of Group D with zero points. Senegal and Sudan are the teams in the two automatic qualification spots, with four points each.
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Against Sudan, Leonard Ngege of Ikorodu City was the poster figure of the shoddy performance by the crop of players from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
The defender scored an unfortunate own goal in the 25th minute to give Sudan the lead. Then, shortly before halftime, he handled the ball inside his goal area, and a penalty was awarded to the Sudanese.
Walieldin Khedr, the Sudanese captain, sent Mustapha Lawal the wrong way to double his team’s lead.
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In between those goals, Nigeria had the ball at the back of the net through Anthony Ijoma, but the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) chopped it off for offside.
Sudan widened the margin early in the second half after Abdel Raouf was afforded the time and space to find Lawal’s far post from the edge of the goal area.
The humiliation of the Eagles was completed a few minutes later through another outstanding strike from Raouf.
The home-based Eagles will play their final group game against Congo Brazaville on August 19.
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