Soccer
Nigeria’s Super Eagles B began their final preparations for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 qualifiers on a positive note, edging Grassrunners FC 1-0 in a friendly on Sunday at the Remo Stars Sports Stadium in Ikenne, Soccernet.ng reports.
The narrow victory came courtesy of substitute Papa Daniel, who converted a penalty deep into stoppage time, ensuring Coach Augustine Eguavoen’s side kicked off their buildup campaign with a morale-boosting win.
This friendly is the first of several warmup matches lined up to help the team sharpen their tactics for the high-stakes encounter against Ghana’s Black Galaxies later this month.
The CHAN qualifiers will see the Eagles play the first leg in Accra on December 22, 2024, before hosting the return fixture in Uyo on December 28. Both matches are scheduled for 5 pm local time.
Eguavoen, who called up 30 players to camp last Wednesday, has kept the squad busy at the Remo Stars Sports Institution in Ikenne.
The team resumed training early Monday for the first of two scheduled sessions, focusing on refining their game plan.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s Black Galaxies have also shown impressive form ahead of the qualifiers.
Under Coach Mas-Ud Dramani, they recorded back-to-back victories in their final warmup matches, narrowly defeating Nania FC 1-0 before dismantling Northern City 5-0. Their sharp attacking and solid defensive displays underline the challenge Nigeria faces.
The stakes could not be higher, as the winner of the two-legged tie will secure a spot in CHAN 2024, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
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