Nigeria’s hopes of reclaiming the Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations title were dashed after a heartbreaking 5-6 loss to Mauritania in the qualifiers.
This defeat resulted in a 10-10 aggregate score, with Mauritania advancing to the finals in Egypt on the away goal rule.
The Supersand Eagles, playing the second leg of their qualifier in Kaduna, displayed remarkable tenacity but ultimately could not prevail.
This loss means Nigeria will miss the Beach Soccer AFCON tournament, which Egypt will host.
Coach Abdullahi Isa’s team demonstrated impressive resilience throughout the match, continuously battling back into contention.
Despite standout performances from Taiwo Adams and Abdullahi Hassan, Nigeria’s two-time African champions faced a significant setback.
Mauritania, proving to be a formidable adversary, denied Nigeria a return to the continental stage after a four-year absence.
As a result, the Supersand Eagles will now shift their focus to rebuilding and preparing for future competitions.
In the first leg of the qualifier, Nigeria was on the verge of securing a spot in the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations following a dramatic 5-4 victory over Mauritania.
Goals from Emeka Ogbonna and Emmanuel Ohwoferia gave Nigeria a 2-0 lead before Mauritania managed to pull one back, ending the first half at 2-1.
