Congo and Sudan played out a tense 1-1 draw in the opening Group D fixture of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 at the Amaan Stadium on Tuesday night, with both sides settling for a point in their pursuit of knockout stage qualification.

The biennial competition, reserved exclusively for players plying their trade in domestic African leagues, saw its first-ever meeting between Congo and Sudan deliver drama, intensity, and late heroics in front of a lively crowd in Zanzibar.

Musa Hussien gave Sudan the lead in the 29th minute, before Carly Ekongo’s 86th-minute strike ensured Congo began their fifth CHAN campaign without defeat.

It was Sudan who looked the more purposeful in the early exchanges, testing Congo goalkeeper Ulrich Samba with a barrage of set-pieces and half-chances.

Salah Adil headed wide from close range in the 10th minute, while Abdel Raouf Yagoub pulled the strings from midfield.

The opening goal came on the half-hour mark after sustained pressure from the Sudanese.

A double effort from Hussien—his first blocked by Samba—saw the striker pounce on the rebound and calmly slot the ball into the bottom corner from close range, putting Sudan 1-0 up.

Congo responded through Chadrac Osseby and Charles Atipo, both coming close before the break. However, the Red Devils struggled to find rhythm in the first half, trailing 1-0 at the interval.

Head coach Barthélemy Ngatsono rang the changes in the second half, introducing Carly Ekongo, Grace Mavoungou and Grace Nsemi in a triple substitution on the hour mark. The fresh legs helped Congo wrest back control.

Sudan continued to look dangerous on the counter and came agonisingly close to doubling their lead in the 90+2 minute when Mazin Simbo’s header was brilliantly saved by Samba, keeping Congo in the contest.

That stop proved crucial. Just four minutes later, Congo drew level. After sustained pressure and a quick exchange in the Sudanese box, Ekongo latched onto a loose ball and smashed home a low finish from close range, sending the Congolese bench into wild celebration.

The match ended with tension and physicality, as stoppage time stretched to ten minutes, with both sides pushing for a winner and tempers occasionally flaring.

Ulrich Samba once again came to Congo’s rescue, denying Simbo late on with a fine save.

The draw marks Congo’s first goal in open play in over three CHAN matches, ending a scoreless drought that dated back to 2020.

For Sudan, the result extends their winless run in open play at CHAN to five matches, but it also signals a step forward after a disappointing 2022 campaign.

Both teams will now turn their attention to their upcoming fixtures in Group D, where every point could prove vital in a tightly contested group.

Congo next face title holders Senegal, while Sudan prepare for a potentially decisive clash against Nigeria.

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Nigeria is playing their first African Nations Championship match since losing the title match to Morocco seven years ago. They already anticipate a blockbuster showdown with defending champions and West African football rivals, Senegal.

Although both are regional football powers, this Tuesday’s encounter will be their first clash at the African Nations Championship despite the rich football histories of both countries.

The setting is a Group B duel in Zanzibar, a chain of islands belonging to Tanzania. For Senegal, the fixture marks their 15th match in CHAN history, with Nigeria becoming the 14th different opponent they’ve faced.

Only Côte d’Ivoire has appeared on their schedule more than once. On the other side, this will be Nigeria’s 16th match in the competition’s history, with Senegal becoming their 15th different adversary. Only Morocco has faced the Super Eagles more than once in the competition.

The Senegalese are entering the match with a strong record against West African opposition at CHAN.

In four previous encounters, they remain unbeaten in open play, registering two wins and two draws. Their run includes a goalless draw with Côte d’Ivoire and a 1-1 draw with Ghana in 2009, the latter resulting in a penalty shootout defeat in the third-place playoff.

In the 2022 edition, they recorded narrow 1-0 victories over both Côte d’Ivoire and Mauritania in the group stage and quarterfinals, respectively.

Impressively, the Senegalese have kept three clean sheets in those four regional clashes, conceding only once.

Nigeria, meanwhile, will be facing the CHAN defending champions for the first time in the tournament’s history.

This match also marks their fifth appearance against West African opposition at CHAN. Their previous results include defeats to Mali and Guinea, a penalty shootout loss to Ghana after a draw, and a commanding 4-1 win over Niger, their only victory in such fixtures.

With both sides boasting formidable CHAN pedigrees and eager to start their Group B campaigns on a high note, the match promises to deliver an intense West African showdown, steeped in history, pride, and tactical intrigue.

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As excitement mounts for this Tuesday’s Group B opener at the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), Nigeria’s Super Eagles are embracing the weight of national expectation ahead of a challenging clash with defending champions Senegal.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference in Zanzibar on Monday, Super Eagles defender Junior Nduka highlighted the pride and responsibility the team feels, especially following Nigeria’s recent success across other sports.

“To our fellow Nigerians, I know the expectations are high because we have been doing well in sports, and we will try our best not to let them down,” said Nduka, seen as one of the team’s key leaders.

 “Our female football team just won the WAFCON, and the women’s basketball team also claimed the African title. It’s a great record for the country, and we hope to build on that momentum.”

Nigeria’s participation at CHAN 2024 comes amid a period of national sporting resurgence, and the home-based squad is hoping to mirror those successes on the football pitch.

However, standing in their way is a formidable Senegalese side renowned for its athleticism, pace, and discipline.

Head coach Éric Chelle, who has overseen an intense build-up with the local league-based squad, made it clear that his team is focused squarely on the opening fixture.

“I don’t want to talk about Congo or Sudan for now,” said the former Mali international when asked about Nigeria’s other group opponents.

“Our focus is on our first match tomorrow. We want to take it step by step. Right now, it’s all about Senegal.”

While much has been made of the West African rivalry, Chelle downplayed any emotional build-up, instead framing the encounter as a high-level contest between two footballing nations with pedigree.

“I don’t think it’s a derby, but this is a match between two big countries in African football,” he said. “Senegal have a good generation and a strong team. Our preparations have gone well, and now we want to put everything we’ve worked on into this game.”

This will be the first-ever CHAN meeting between Nigeria and Senegal. Both teams boast strong records in the competition, with Nigeria finishing as runners-up in 2018 and Senegal winning the title in 2022.

With a squad composed entirely of players from the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), the Super Eagles will face a stern test against a disciplined Senegal team determined to begin their title defence on a strong note.

Kickoff is scheduled for Tuesday evening in Zanzibar.

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