Nigeria held to draw by Zanzibar in pre-CHAN friendly

The Nigeria home-based men’s national team kicked off their final preparations for the upcoming 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) with a goalless draw against hosts Zanzibar in a friendly match at the Amaan Stadium on Monday.

Despite controlling the tempo for large spells of the game, coach Eric Chelle’s side failed to break down the hosts’ defense despite dominating possession throughout the game.

This friendly is the first of two crucial test matches as the Super Eagles B prepare for CHAN 2024, which is set to commence this weekend. The tournament will run from August 2nd to August 30th in three East African nations: Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Nigeria and Zanzibar will clash in a second friendly on Thursday. Following this match, the Super Eagles B are expected to relocate to their official base. They will face Senegal in Group D on August 5 at the Amaan Stadium before clashing with Sudan at the same venue a week later.

Their final group stage game against Republic of Congo will take place at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on August 19. Coach Chelle’s side will be keen to make a strong impression at CHAN 2024 after missing out on the last two editions of the tournament.