Defending champions Senegal kicked off their title defence at the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship PAMOJA 2024 with a narrow but decisive 1–0 win over Nigeria in a fiery Group D opener held at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar.
The match, filled with intensity and physical duels, lived up to the billing as two of West Africa’s football powerhouses clashed in front of an energetic crowd.
After a tense and goalless first half, the breakthrough finally came in the 75th minute. Moctar Koïté, electric down the right wing all night, launched a blistering counter-attack and delivered a precise low cross into the box.
Christian Gomis timed his run perfectly, arriving unmarked to side-foot the ball home with his left foot, clinching the only goal of the game.
Nigeria mounted heavy pressure in the final minutes, with Vincent Temitope nearly leveling the score, but Senegal’s backline held firm to secure all three points.
The reigning champions, who lifted the trophy in Algeria in 2022, showed their experience and composure, especially in the face of early Nigerian aggression.
Both teams had early chances, Sikiru Alimi forced a save from Senegalese goalkeeper Marc Diouf, while Daouda Ba and Koïté threatened with powerful strikes from distance.
Nigeria’s head coach, Éric Chelle, stayed upbeat despite the setback, “We’ll take each game as it comes,” he said, looking ahead to clashes with Congo and Sudan.
Senegal’s coach, Souleymane Diallo, downplayed the pressure of being defending champions before the game and afterward reaffirmed his squad’s hunger, “We’re not here to defend a title. We’re here to win it again.”
The victory extends Senegal’s impressive unbeaten streak against regional rivals at CHAN and marks their sixth 1–0 win in the competition’s history, highlighting their reputation for defensive discipline and tactical maturity.
As CHAN 2024 continues, the tournament, reserved for players active in their home leagues, has already delivered a classic West African battle to set the tone.
