Nigeria and Ghana were mistakenly taken through extra time and a penalty shootout in their Africa Cup of Nations beach soccer qualifier, despite Saturday’s match being the first leg of a two-match tie.
The second-round opener in Kaduna finished 3-3, but Moroccan referee Driss Lamghaidar and his assistants instructed the teams to continue. Ghana then won the shootout 5-4 and initially appeared to have gained an advantage in the contest.
The result was later overturned after officials acknowledged that the additional periods should not have taken place. The match is officially recorded as a 3-3 draw, while Ghana’s shootout victory has no bearing on the qualification tie.
Isa Hamza Manga scored all three of Nigeria’s goals. Mawuli Sosu struck twice for Ghana, with Wise Nyamadi also on target for the Black Sharks.
Under the qualifying format set for the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations beach soccer tournament, the fixture was the first match of a two-legged second-round tie, rather than a one-off knockout game. The draw for the tournament established that the qualifiers would be decided over two legs before the finals in Senegal.
The error caused immediate confusion among officials in Kaduna. Neither side should have been declared the winner before the return fixture, and the Nigerian Football Federation requested an explanation from the refereeing team.
During an evening meeting, Lamghaidar and his assistants admitted their mistake. The extra time and penalty shootout were cancelled, leaving the teams level at 3-3 ahead of the second leg.
The decisive match is scheduled for Sunday, 18 October, at the Keta Emancipation Beach Soccer Arena. The winner of the two-match tie will qualify for the finals in Senegal.
The outcome is particularly important for Nigeria after a difficult recent run in the sport. The Super Sand Eagles missed the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations after losing to Mauritania, despite winning the first leg away from home.
Although the confusion was corrected before it affected the official result, the misunderstanding over a basic competition rule could have led to a much more serious dispute had the shootout been allowed to determine the tie.
Nigeria and Ghana will therefore begin the return leg from the same position: 3-3 after the opening game. This time, the result over the two legs will decide who advances.