Nigeria Super Eagles have gone past the last-16 at the Africa Cup of Nations with a game to spare. Villarreal winger Samuel Chukwueze struck after just three minutes of Saturday’s fight at the Stade Roumde Adjia in Garoua to put Nigeria – who beat Egypt in a heavyweight opening fixture – on their way to a second straight win in Group D.
Walieldin Khedr Safour Daiyeen notched Sudan’s maiden goal of the tournament – and his first at international level – from the penalty spot with 20 minutes left after VAR intervened following a foul by Ola Aina. Hopes will be rising that Nigeria can add to their three AFCON titles, the last of which was won in South Africa in 2013.
Nigeria drove past Sudan 3-1 at the AFCON to secure their place in the last-16 with a match to spare. Building on their impressive win over Mohamed Salah and seven-time champions Egypt in a heavyweight Group D opener in midweek, the Super Eagles brushed aside limited opposition on Saturday evening. Walieldin Khedr Safour Daiyeen got Sudan off the mark at their first AFCON tournament for a decade with a consolation penalty in the second half after a foul by Ola Aina.
The outcome implies that Augustine Eguavoen’s side join hosts Cameroon and Morocco by sealing a spot in the knockout rounds, with their final group game to come against Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday evening. Unchanged from that statement 1-0 win over Egypt secured by Kelechi Iheanacho’s first-half goal, Nigeria – who won the last of their three AFCON titles in South Africa in 2013 – were ahead after only three minutes at the Stade Roumde Adjia in Garoua.
Full-time
A complacent second successive win for the Super Eagles, who took a force memorable with once again as they join hosts Cameroon and Morocco in the last-16 with a game to spare. Their last Group D fixture is against Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday night.
90 mins: 4 minutes of extra time signalled at the Stade Roumde Adjia. Sudan’s penalty has, as expected, proven nothing more than a mere consolation. Nigeria crawling into the last 16.
83 mins: Super Eagles are trying to gather themselves up again in the last 10 minutes after generally coasting since scoring their third. Sudan skipper Salaheldin Mahmoud Nemer is down and in some pain after a chase to the byline from substitute Umar Sadiq. He’s receiving a lot of attention and will need to be stretchered off. Mohamed Kesra Hakeem comes on in his place.
78 mins: There’s no late Sudan comeback in the offing here despite Nigeria having quite clearly taken their foot off the gas, but they are still trying with a dangerous right-wing cross from Mustafa Ahmed Saeed Elfadni evading the lunge of Omeruo before being unconvincingly slapped away by goalkeeper Okoye.
73 mins: A lovely weighted-pass from Iwobi into that right channel, but Musa’s strike is into the side netting. There was wildly ambitious effort from Nwakali a few moments ago, but it failed to test Abou Achrine with plenty of team-mates waiting inside the Sudan box.
GOAL! Nigeria 3-1 Sudan | Khedr Safour Daiyeen 70′
70 mins: An emphatic penalty, with Okoye indecisive… but he was never getting there anyway even if he’d guessed correctly. It’s Khedr Safour Daiyeen’s first goal for Sudan, who are off and running for the tournament. They have 20 minutes left to make this interesting!
Penalty to Sudan
68 mins: He points to the spot! So needless from Aina, the ball was going nowhere near them. He’s shown a yellow card. Khedr Safour Daiyeen to take the penalty for Sudan…
66 mins: VAR are having a look at a Sudan penalty claim here after Aina – who defended brilliantly to snuff out a Sudan counter a few moments ago – treads on the foot and tugs the shirt of Abdelgader Karshoum as the duo tussle at a corner. Referee Victor Gomes is told to go and look at the monitor. This is going to be a penalty…
64 mins: A double change for Nigeria before they flight in a free-kick from the left that is headed clear. Ahmed Musa and Kelechi Nwakali replace Iheanacho and Aribo.
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