Nigeria secured their place in the knockout stages of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in emphatic fashion with a 3-1 thumping of Sudan in Group D match at Roumdé Adjia Stadium in Garoua on Saturday.
It was the worst possible start for Sudan who conceded after only three minutes when Samuel Chukwueze connected from Ola Oina’s throw-in that Sudan defence failed to clear for the opener.
Sudan struggled to get hold of the ball thereafter and were made to chase shadows.
The Falcons of Jediane’s first decent opening on goal, however, only came in the 28th minute when Yasin Hamed fired a 20-yard shot inches wide of the post.
Wilfred Ndidi tried his luck with a free-kick from 25-yards out but the midfielder’s curling effort was palmed away for a corner by Ali Abu Eshrein.
Kelechi Iheanacho came close just a minute later but the attacker fired an effort just wide of the mark from the edge of the area.
A minute before the break Nigeria added their second when Taiwo Awoniyi headed home from close range after a well-worked move.
Moses Simon extended Super Eagles lead three minutes after the restart as he chested the ball before firing under Abou Achrine from a tough angle.
Mohamed Al Rashed came close to reducing the deficit on 55th minute as he fired just wide of the target from close range after a neat turned.
Sudan threw players forward in search of some consolation after conceding their third goal and they did manage to find some consolation in the 68th minute when Khedr Safour Daiyeen converted a penalty after Ola Oina fouled Mustafa Karshoum in the area.
Nigeria’s other effort to extend their lead arrived in the 76th minute, as Ali Abu Eshrein pulled off a fine save to deny Ahmed Musa from close range.
Eshrein was called into action minutes later, this time pulling off a fine save to deny Alex Iwobi from six-yards out.
Nigeria managed to see out the rest of the match with relative ease, as they claimed their second win of the tournament while the loss for the East Africans sees them unable to make the knockout stages of the competition.
The lineups:
Nigeria: Maduka Okoye – Ola Aina, William Ekong, Kenneth Omeruo, Zaidu Sanusi – Wilfred Ndidi, Joe Aribo (Kelechi Nwakali 65), Samuel Chukwueze (Alex Iwobi 46), Moses Simon – Kelechi Iheanacho (Ahmed Musa 65), Taiwo Awoniyi (Umar Sadiq 81).
Sudan: Ali Abu Eshrein – Mustafa Elfadni, Salahedin Nemer, Mustafa Muhammad, Mazin Mohamadein – Walleldin Khidir, Mohamad Alrashed Mahmoud, Gumaa Abas (Dhiya Mahjoub 46), Yasin Hamed (Mohamed Abdalla 64), Abdelrazig Omer – Musab Eisa (Nouh Al Gozolo 46)
