Preparation for the 2024 CHAN Tournament
The Super Eagles B are set to face the Zanzibar national team in their second and final friendly match before the start of the 2024 CHAN tournament. This encounter will take place on Thursday, following their first game against the same opponent on Monday at the Mao Zedong Stadium, which ended in a goalless draw.
Under the guidance of national team coach Eric Chelle, the Super Eagles B showed dominance in the first leg but struggled to break through the Zanzibar defense. The team is currently preparing for the 19-team competition, which will be hosted by Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya starting from Saturday.
Nigeria, the 2018 runners-up, is placed in Group D alongside Cup holders Senegal, Sudan, and Congo. Coach Chelle has expressed confidence in the team’s preparation since arriving in East Africa, believing that facing strong opponents will help them shape up for the tournament.
“Our preparations started two weeks ago in Ikenne, and we have focused on physical, tactical, and technical aspects. We have continued our training in Zanzibar, and it’s an ideal setup for us. I think this is a strong team with great players, and it’s a good way to prepare for the CHAN,” Chelle said.
Despite their history of not winning the tournament, Nigeria has shown promise in previous editions. They finished third in the 2014 edition in South Africa and lost the final to hosts Morocco in 2018. However, Chelle remains cautious about expectations.
“Our ambition is to take each game one at a time, and we will see what we can achieve after that,” he added.
Chelle is leading the team into the tournament after missing the last edition. Nigeria qualified for the 2024 CHAN by defeating long-time rivals Ghana 3–1 on aggregate. The team aims to improve on their best-ever finish as runners-up in 2018.
The Super Eagles B will begin their campaign with two matches against Senegal and Sudan at the Amman Stadium on the island of Zanzibar. Their third group stage match will be against Congo at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Key Details About the Tournament
- Host Countries: Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya.
- Group D Teams: Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, and Congo.
- Qualification: Nigeria secured their spot by defeating Ghana 3–1 on aggregate.
- Tournament History: Nigeria has never won the CHAN, with their best result being runners-up in 2018.
- Preparation Matches: Two friendly games against Zanzibar to fine-tune the team ahead of the tournament.
With the tournament set to begin soon, all eyes will be on the Super Eagles B as they look to make a strong impact in the 2024 CHAN. The team’s focus remains on taking each match seriously and building momentum as they aim for a better performance than in previous years.