Nigeria’s Super Eagles B will take on Zanzibar in their second and final friendly ahead of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), which kicks off on Saturday across Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya.
Thursday’s clash follows a goalless draw between both sides in the first leg played on Monday at the Mao Zedong Stadium, where Nigeria dominated but couldn’t find the breakthrough.
The team, coached by Eric Chelle, is using the fixture to fine-tune preparations for the tournament, where they are drawn in Group D alongside defending champions Senegal, Sudan, and Congo.
Speaking on the team’s build-up, Chelle said the preparation has been intense and productive. “Our preparations started two weeks ago in Ikenne. We worked a lot physically, tactically and technically,” Chelle said. “We have continued in Zanzibar, and it’s been perfect. Playing this team will shape us for the CHAN.”
Nigeria, runners-up in 2018 and third-place finishers in 2014, are still in search of their first CHAN title. Chelle, who is making his tournament debut with the Eagles, is tempering expectations.
“Our ambition is to take the tournament one game at a time. We’ll see how far that takes us,” he added.
The team secured qualification after defeating rivals Ghana 3–1 on aggregate and are expected to build on that momentum in the East African tournament.
Nigeria’s campaign begins with matches against Senegal and Sudan at the Amman Stadium in Zanzibar, before concluding the group stage against Congo at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
