Nigeria’s home-based Super Eagles will be playing for pride when they take on Congo in their final Group D fixture at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday.
The Eagles B have already crashed out of the competition after suffering back-to-back defeats in their opening two matches — a narrow 1-0 loss to defending champions Senegal and a heavy 4-0 thrashing by Sudan. The results ended their hopes of progressing to the quarter-finals.
Congo, meanwhile, still have everything to play for. With two points from their first two games, the Red Devils could qualify if they defeat Nigeria and results between Senegal and Sudan go in their favour.
For Nigeria, the encounter is about salvaging pride after a disappointing campaign. The team has yet to score a single goal at this year’s tournament and has not found the net in CHAN since their semi-final win over Sudan seven years ago.
Head coach Eric Chelle admitted the campaign had been “difficult both physically and mentally” but urged his players to respond in their final outing.
“Tomorrow is a game that we can try to use to forget our mistakes,” Chelle said in his pre-match press conference. “When you are a professional player you need to stay focused, you need to want to win, and you must always have the right state of mind. Now is the time for them to show their qualities.”
Changes are expected in midfield, with Alex Oyowah, Harrison Uzondu and Haruna Hadi pushing for starting spots, while the attacking responsibility will fall on Sikiru Alimi, Anas Yusuf and Anthony Ijoma as Nigeria search desperately for their first goal.
First-choice goalkeeper Ani Ozoemena is unavailable due to a knee injury, but Stephen Manyo has recovered from a shoulder problem and could replace Leonard Ngenge between the posts.
Captain Junior Nduka admitted the players had underperformed but vowed the team would fight to avoid leaving Tanzania empty-handed.
“The boys have been able to pick up the pieces and focus on the last game, which I think is the most important for us,” Nduka said. “We have lost two games and we would not want to be defeated again and go back home with nothing.”
Congo, buoyed by their past record of reaching the quarter-finals in 2018 and 2020, will rely on Dechan Moussavou, who scored in their 1-1 draw with Senegal, while goalkeeper Chelcy Bonazebi has been outstanding throughout the group stage.
This will be the first-ever CHAN meeting between the two nations. Nigeria, winless in their last three games at the tournament, are desperate to avoid finishing bottom of the group, while Congo know victory could book them a place in the last eight.
The match kicks off at 6:00pm Nigerian time at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Dar es Salaam.
