Nigeria eyeing CHAN 2018 final spot

by Phumzile Ngcatshe

Tuesday Jan 30, 2018. 17:30

Nigeria will be banking on their fine form at the 2018 CAF African Nations Championship tournament as they meet Sudan in the semi-finals on Wednesday.

The Super Eagles started on a low at the tournament, but are hitting the top gear at the right time as the tournament reached the knockout stages.

Coach Salisu Yusuf’s men started their Group C assignments with a 0-0 draw against Rwanda, but went on to beat Libya 1-0 and demolished Equatorial Guinea 3-1.

Heading to the Last Eight, they secured a crucial 2-1 win over the brave Palancas Negras of Angola on Sunday.

Looking at the Falcons of Jediane, the North Africans have also had a wonderful run in the continental showpiece so far.

They defeated the Syli Nationale of Guinea in Group A, lost to hosts Morocco, but bounced back with a 1-0 win over Mauritania to finish as number two in the group.

In their quarter-final campaign, they met favourites Zambia and they handed the Chipolopolo a 1-0 defeat to book a spot in the Last Four.

Sudan and Nigeria have met 13 times and Yusuf’s men enjoy an advantage of seven wins, four draws and have lost twice to the Flacons.

However, with a spot in the final up for grabs the encounter could go either way and history will not count on Wednesday at the Stade de Marrakech at 19:30 (CAT).