Days after racing to a 10th triumph in the Women Africa Cup of Nations, Nigeria will on Tuesday begin another serious quest for a continental title when the home-based senior men’s team, Super Eagles B take on Cup holders Senegal in the opening match of group B of the 8th African Nations Championship, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
Bronze medal-winners in 2014 and runners-up four years later, Nigeria have blown hot and cold in the 16-year-old tournament that is exclusively reserved for footballers plying their trade with valid contracts in the domestic league of their countries on the continent.
In essence, Nigeria will be making only her fourth appearance at the competition.
Christened Pamoja 2024, this year’s African Nations Championship promises a lot of thrills and excitement across five venues in three host nations – a novel arrangement in hosting of sports events on the African continent.
The Confederation of African Football awarded a joint bid by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda the hosting right for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, and afterwards opted to grant the three nations the opportunity to use the CHAN as a dress rehearsal.
The 19 participating countries have been cast into four groups, with groups A, B, and C having five teams, and group D (where Nigeria will feature) having only four, including Cup holders Senegal, as well as Congo and Sudan.
Nigeria’s technical and tactical approach to games will be curated by Eric Sekou Chelle, also the gaffer for the ‘A’ team. Chelle has spoken of belief and self-confidence among his 23-man squad, who spent three weeks at a training camp in Ikenne-Remo and another 10 days in Zanzibar (to which was embedded two drawn matches against the Zanzibar National Team).
At the 15,000-capacity Amaan Stadium on Tuesday, Chelle will go for the maximum points to underscore Nigeria’s ambition, as well as to diminish anxiety ahead of the clashes with Sudan and Congo.
Credit: NFF