Sudan’s national team, the Falcons of Jediane delivered a masterclass at the Amaan Stadium, overwhelming Nigeria 4-0 in a Group D clash that showcased both the pedigree and cohesion of a side heavily built around Al Hilal Omdurman talent. The Cecafa giants started with an incredible 10 players from the Sudanese powerhouse in their first XI, a reflection of the club’s consistency at continental level, where Al Hilal have reached the CAF Champions League group stage every season since 2019, and were semi-finalists in 2015 as well as quarter-finalists in the most recent edition (2024/25 season) . That wealth of experience was evident from the first whistle, as Sudan absorbed early pressure and struck clinically when chances arose.
The early minutes saw Nigeria dominate possession, moving the ball quickly across the pitch while Sudan sat back, waiting to pounce on the counterattack. Both sides exchanged early half-chances, but neither goalkeeper was tested. The breakthrough arrived in the 25th minute under unusual circumstances. Just moments after Nigeria thought they had scored, only for VAR to disallow Anthony Ijoma’s goal for offside; Sudan launched a swift attack. Abdel Yagoub’s fierce shot crashed against the crossbar, and in the chaos, Nigerian defender Leonard Ngenge turned the ball into his own net, handing Sudan a 1-0 lead.
The Nigerians struggled to respond with precision. Their attacks were riddled with misplaced passes and repeated offsides, and with five minutes left in the first half, the situation worsened. A careless handball in the area by Ngenge gifted Sudan a penalty, which captain Walieldin Khidir dispatched with power and accuracy to double the lead in the 44th minute. That goal sent the Sudanese into the break comfortably ahead at 2-0, while Nigeria looked short of ideas and composure.
The second half began with Nigeria making three substitutions, but it was Sudan who continued to dictate the match’s key moments. In the 50th minute, left-back Ahmed Yousif received a yellow card for a late challenge, but that did little to disrupt the team’s momentum. Five minutes later, the Nigerians were punished again for defensive frailty. Abdel Raouf, one of Al Hilal Omdurman’s most consistent performers, latched onto a loose clearance inside the box and fired home for Sudan’s third goal, effectively sealing the contest.
Raouf’s dominance in the final third was not yet done. In the 61st minute, the forward produced a stunning aerial finish, the ball ricocheting off the crossbar and over the line to complete his brace and make it 4-0. By this stage, the contest was beyond Nigeria’s reach, and the West Africans’ frustration grew. They held a lionshare of possession by the 75th minute yet had not registered a single shot on target, a statistic that summed up their inefficiency.
Mohamed Abderrahman’s charges managed the final stages with confidence, making multiple substitutions to preserve energy and give opportunities to fresh legs. Mubark Abdalla and Mohamed Al Rashed replaced Salah Adel and Musa Hussein in the 79th minute, followed by Al Misbah Faisal, Awad Zayed, and Muhamed Tia Asad coming on in the 86th minute. The match concluded without further incident, Sudan holding firm to secure a statement victory.
This emphatic result moves Falcons of Jediane to four points, placing them firmly on top of group D and in contention for a quarterfinal berth at the halfway stage of the group phase. For Nigeria, the loss confirmed their early exit after back-to-back defeats. For the Sudanese, the performance was a testament to the strength of Al Hilal Omdurman’s core, whose continental pedigree continues to translate into national team dominance.
