Defending champions, Senegal, began their title defence at the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 with a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Nigeria in a fiercely contested Group D clash at the Amaan Stadium, Zanzibar.
The match, played at high intensity, delivered the drama expected of two of Africa’s most storied footballing nations.
The lone goal came in the 75th minute, when Moctar Koïté burst down the right flank on a swift counter-attack and delivered a pinpoint low cross into the box.
Christian Gomis arrived unmarked and calmly slotted home with his left foot to seal the win for Senegal.
Despite late pressure from Nigeria—including a near miss by Vincent Temitope—the home-based Super Eagles couldn’t find a breakthrough.
Senegal, winners of the 2022 edition in Algeria, began the match composed but had to weather early Nigerian pressure.
Both teams had chances in a cagey first half: Sikiru Alimi tested Senegal’s goalkeeper Marc Diouf, while Daouda Ba and Koïté launched long-range efforts that troubled Nigeria’s defence.
Coach Éric Chelle of Nigeria remained optimistic after the match: “We’ll take each game as it comes,” he said, with matches against Congo and Sudan still to follow in the group.
Senegal’s coach Souleymane Diallo, who had dismissed suggestions of pressure before the match, reiterated his side’s ambition: “We’re not here to defend a trophy; we’re here to win a new one.”
This win extends Senegal’s unbeaten run against West African opponents at CHAN and marks their sixth 1–0 victory in the tournament’s history—further evidence of their trademark defensive solidity.
The tournament, which features players active only in their domestic leagues, opened with exactly the kind of tightly contested fixture expected from these regional heavyweights. (Punch)
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