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When Nigeria’s Super Eagles B take on DR Congo in their final Group D fixture at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 in Dar es Salaam, it will be far more than a dead rubber.
On one side, it is a battle for survival; on the other, it is about salvaging battered pride.
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For Congo coach Barthélémy Ngatsono speaking at the pre-match press briefing, the arithmetic is simple: only victory will do.
“There is no alternative to victory,” Ngatsono declared. “We respect Nigeria, but they are like a wounded lion. They will play with pride, so we must be sharper and stay focused.”
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Congo arrive with two points from their opening two games; a pair of gritty draws that kept them alive in the group.
But their inability to convert dominance into goals has become a concern: just two strikes in two games.
Ngatsono insists his side’s “spirit and determination” can deliver the decisive edge against Nigeria. Forward Gosim Duvan Elenga echoed his coach’s confidence:
“We enter this match with the same determination as before. We are ready.”
Nigeria’s search for redemption
On the opposite bench, Eric Chelle’s Super Eagles B are already mathematically out. Two games, two defeats; 0-1 to Senegal and a bruising 0-4 loss to Sudan, have left Nigeria bottom of the group with zero goals scored and five conceded.
For Chelle, the stakes are psychological rather than competitive.
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“We want to end the competition with a victory,” he said at the pre-match presser. “We haven’t scored yet, and this game is our chance to put things right.”
Chelle admitted his team has been haunted by errors but pointed to circumstances beyond his control. Eight of Nigeria’s CHAN qualifiers, “80% of the squad,” in his words were unavailable after securing overseas transfers, forcing him to rebuild the team almost overnight.
“Of course, I take responsibility as coach,” he admitted. “But now it’s about lifting morale. We must return home with something positive.”
Defender Junior Nduka, team captain and one of the few experienced voices left in the squad, struck a defiant tone:
“We need a win for the country. We’ll give everything against Congo. The two defeats affected us, but we must bounce back.”
This meeting comes at contrasting moments: Nigeria, former finalists, are enduring one of their worst outings in recent memory, while Congo still cling to the possibility of a quarter-final qualification, though they must also hope Sudan vs Senegal goes their way.
What to expect at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium
Expect an open contest with very different motivations: Congo fighting for survival, Nigeria desperate for dignity. Ngatsono’s men will look to press early and control the tempo through midfield, while Chelle is expected to tweak his approach to encourage more attacking risk in search of their first goal of the tournament.
Whatever the outcome, this fixture is guaranteed to carry tension to the last whistle. For Congo, it could define their campaign; for Nigeria, it may simply be about leaving Dar es Salaam with their heads held high.
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