Nigeria have emerged as one of the top contenders for the 2016 African Nations Championships after beating fellow west Africans Niger 4-1 in an exciting Group C tie at Kigali Regional Stadium in Nyamirambo in Rwanda.
Nigeria have emerged as one of the top contenders for the 2016 African Nations Championships after beating fellow west Africans Niger 4-1 in an exciting Group C tie at Kigali Regional Stadium in Nyamirambo in Rwanda.
After a largely quite first half, it took Moses Okoro just a minute after the break to find the back of the net for the Super Eagles, before providing the assist from which Elvis Chisom Chikatara scored the second in the 74th minute.
Niger’s Zakari Adebayor then reduced the deficit to one goal before Chikatara restored Nigeria’s two-goal advantage only a minute later.
Chikatara went on to complete the tournament’s first hat-trick in the last minute of the game, effectively becoming the top scorer in the championships.
Nigeria now top Group C with three points, followed by Guinea and Tunisia who drew 2-2 earlier in the day, with Niger at the bottom.
CHAN action continues tomorrow at Umuganda stadium in Rubavu District with Group D fixtures.
Day four will kick off with Zimbabwe taking on Zambia at 3pm, before Mali squares off against Uganda at 6pm.