International Football
Big Names Stumble in CHAN Qualifiers’ First Leg
Nigeria’s home based Super Eagles are not the only side to fail to secure a win in matches against relatively weaker teams at the weekend’s fist leg matches of the African Nations Championship.
The Super Eagles had held grimly and appeared would be able to scrape a point from the duel until barely three minutes to end the match when a penalty kick was conceded and Benin’s skipper, Mama Seibou converted it to give Nigeria’s western neighbours their first victory in 58 years since both first clashed.
The Nigerian side will be looking forward to avoid a repeat of what Northern neighbours, Niger Republic did seven years ago by denying the Super Eagles a place in CHAN after having lost the first leg in Niamey. Benin will be looking forward to the decider in Kano this weekend to realise their dream of qualifying for CHAN for the first time as Nigeria will need a two goal margin win in Kano as escape route.
Just as it happened to Nigeria, so also it was for another African giant, Cote d’Ivoire. It was about the same time Benin scored from the penalty spot against Nigeria that Halidou Idrissa scored for Niger Republic to earn the side a 2-1 win over visiting Cote d’Ivoire.
Seyni Imrana had shot the home side ahead in the 41st minute before Fabius Dosso leveled for the visiting Cote d’Ivoire two minutes before break.
In North Africa, Morocco came from behind to hold debutants Egypt to a 1-1 draw in Alexandria. The Pharaohs depleted by the absence of key players from notables clubs such as Al Ahly, Zamalek and El Masry survived several onslaughts from the Moroccans who missed a second half penalty after Abdelilah Hafidi was denied Mohamed Awad.
Makassa midfielder Ahmed Sayed powered the Pharaohs into the lead from the spot after only three minutes, with Badr Benoun drawing parity seven minutes after the break with a header.
In the South Zone, Comoros accounted for Namibia 2-1 in Moroni. ‘Les Coelecantes’ led by two goals at the interval courtesy strikes from Faouz Ali Attoumane and Ali Simba, but Hendrik Somaeb pulled one back for Namibia on 71 minutes.
In Antananarivo, surprise packets Madagascar were held to a barren draw by visiting Angola. Comoros took a 2-1 lead over Namibia in a clash of countries seeking a first appearance at the Nations Championship, which is scheduled for Kenya next January and February.
A Chadouli Mradabi tap-in and a Mohamed Youssef header gave the east coast islanders a two-goal half-time advantage in Moroni that was halved when Hendrik Somaeb converted a penalty.
Ethiopia came from behind to draw 1-1 with Sudan in Hawassa and Madagascar extended an unbeaten run in all competitions to 11 matches after a 0-0 stalemate with visiting Angola.
Results
Central Zone
• Friday: Brazzaville Congo 0-0 DR Congo
• Saturday: Malabo Equatorial Guinea vs Gabon
• Saturday: Sao Tome Sao Tome 0-2 Cameroon
Central-East Zone
• Saturday: Kampala Uganda 3-0 Rwanda
• Sunday: Hawassa Ethiopia 1-1 Sudan
North Zone
• Saturday: Constantine Algeria 1-2 Libya
• Sunday: Alexandria Egypt 1-1 Morocco
South Zone
• Saturday: East London South Africa 2-2 Zambia
• Sunday: Antananarivo Madagascar 0-0 Angola
• Sunday: Moroni Comoros 2-1 Namibia
West A Zone
• Saturday: Nouakchott Mauritania 2-2 Mali
• Tuesday: Pikine Senegal vs Guinea
West B Zone
Saturday: Ouagadougou Burkina Faso 2-2 Ghana
• Sunday: Cotonou Benin 1-0 Nigeria
• Sunday: Niamey Niger 2-1 Cote d’Ivoire
Aliou Cisse has been named coach of the Angola national team, the country’s football federation (FAF) announced on Thursday, 24 hours after the Senegalese left his post in Libya.
The 50-year-old coach, who led Senegal to their maiden Africa Cup of Nations title in 2022, ended his short stint with the Libyan national team on Wednesday, after taking charge in March 2025.
“Welcome, Aliou Cisse, head coach of the Angola national team,” the FAF said on Facebook. Angola, which failed to reach this year’s World Cup, will start their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign in September.
-Reuters
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Nigeria’s Super Eagles were held to a 2-2 draw by FIFA World Cup-bound Jordan in an eventful international friendly in Antalya on Tuesday night, with the contest overshadowed by a late red card to Alex Iwobi.
Iwobi, making his 98th appearance for the national team, was sent off in the closing stages, capping a dramatic encounter in which Nigeria surrendered a first-half lead and finished the game with ten men.
The match, played at the Mardan Sports Complex, brought Nigeria’s March international window to a close, but it proved anything but routine as both sides delivered a fiercely contested and entertaining clash.
Jordan, ranked 64th in the world and enjoying strong recent form, struck first in the 17th minute through Mousa Tamari. A well-worked free-kick routine caught the Nigerian defence napping, allowing the forward to fire home the opener.
Nigeria responded quickly and thought they had equalised six minutes later when Raphael Onyedika finished from a Moses Simon cut-back, but the goal was controversially ruled out.
The Super Eagles eventually drew level in the 30th minute. Stand-in captain Moses Simon, earning his 97th cap, reacted fastest after Ademola Lookman’s effort was blocked, slotting home with a composed left-footed finish for his second goal in as many matches.
Nigeria went ahead four minutes before halftime when Bright Osayi-Samuel’s pinpoint cross found debutant Emmanuel Fernandez, who showed great composure to control and finish, giving the three-time African champions a 2-1 lead at the interval.
The second half took on a more physical tone, with goalkeeper Francis Uzoho forced off in the 57th minute after sustaining an injury while clearing the ball. Adebayo Adeleye replaced him between the posts.
Head coach Eric Chelle introduced Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi to shore up the midfield, but Jordan continued to press and were rewarded with an equaliser in the 77th minute.
Nigeria pushed for a winner late on, handing a senior debut to Philip Otele, while Samuel Chukwueze came on for Moses Simon. However, the closing moments were marred by Iwobi’s dismissal, leaving the Super Eagles to see out the match with ten men.
Despite the draw, the encounter offered valuable insights for the coaching crew as Nigeria continues preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
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By Kunle Solaja
Match Context
- Fixture: Jordan vs Nigeria
- Venue: Antalya, Turkey
- Occasion: Four-Nation Invitational Tournament
- Kick-off: Tuesday (evening)
They would have loved facing Jamaica in Mexico today for a place at the World Cup, but fate has other plans, and Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be taking on World Cup debutants Jordan in a friendly match instead in Turkey.
The encounter promises to be a revealing contest for both sides as preparations intensify for future global assignments.
The encounter, staged as part of a four-nation tournament in Turkey, will be the third meeting between the two countries, with the head-to-head record finely poised.
History Beckons in Third Meeting
Nigeria claimed a 2-0 victory in their first clash at the National Stadium, Lagos, on 28 April 2004 during the LG Cup.
However, the tables turned in 2013 when a largely experimental Nigerian side under the late Stephen Keshi suffered a 1-0 defeat in Amman, courtesy of a Hatem Aqel penalty.
This latest meeting now serves as the decider in what has quietly become a balanced rivalry.
Jordan arrive in buoyant mood, riding on the crest of a historic achievement, which is their first-ever qualification for the FIFA World Cup (2026).
Jordan’s Al-Nashama
Their recent form underlines a team growing in confidence and tactical discipline. In the past months, Al-Nashama have:
- Held Russia (0-0)
- Defeated Dominican Republic (3-0)
- Drawn with Mali (0-0)
- Narrowly lost to Bolivia (1-0) and Albania (4-2)
- Pushed Tunisia (3-2 loss) in a competitive encounter
They also opened this invitational tournament with a 2-2 draw against Costa Rica, further evidence of their resilience.
The team’s preparations have been boosted by a morale-lifting visit from Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein, President of the Jordan Football Association, during their Antalya training camp.
Coach Jamal Al-Salami has deliberately scheduled matches against Nigeria and Costa Rica, citing their stylistic similarity to World Cup opponents such as Argentina, Austria, and Algeria.
Despite missing several key players, including star forward Mousa Ta’mari, Jordan have continued to show depth, blending senior players with youth prospects as part of a broader developmental strategy.
Nigeria head into the clash with renewed confidence after a 2-1 victory over Iran in their opening game of the tournament, with goals from Moses Simon and Akor Adams.
Unlike previous meetings, the Super Eagles are expected to field a full-strength squad, packed with Europe-based stars, something Jordanian observers have already described as a “heavyweight challenge.”
The squad boasts a blend of experience and attacking flair.
The presence of multiple attacking options gives Nigeria a clear edge going forward, while their physicality and pace could pose serious problems for the Jordanians.
Jordan are expected to adopt a compact, disciplined shape, relying on quick transitions and defensive organisation, qualities that earned them results against stronger opposition in recent friendlies.
Nigeria, by contrast, will likely dominate possession, using width and individual brilliance to break down Jordan’s defensive lines.
The key battle may lie in midfield, where Jordan’s structure will be tested against Nigeria’s blend of strength, technique, and tempo.
For Jordan, this is another step in fine-tuning a squad preparing for its historic World Cup debut—a chance to measure themselves against elite opposition.
For Nigeria, it is an opportunity to assert authority, build cohesion among its star-studded squad, and maintain momentum ahead of more competitive fixtures.
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