Nigeria head coach Sunday Oliseh has saluted his side after it humiliated Niger 4-1 in the opening match of Group C of Africa Nations Championships played at Kigali Regional Stadium on Monday.

Chisom Chikatara was the star of the day when he came off the bench to score a hat-trick after a goalless first half. 

"We were not focused in the first half, but in the second half, we tried to correct mistakes and that is why we scored goals.

We cannot start talking about the title after one game, we will go game by game and we want to win it.”

Nigeria got their first goal just seconds into the second half when striker Tunde Adeniji floated a cross from the left, and Osas Okoro put it past the goalie.

In the 74th minute, Abia Warriors young striker Chikatara, who came on as a sub scored Nigeria’s second goal.

However, Niger fought back and got a goal through substitute Zakaria Adebayor in the 81st minute, but Nigeria responded in equal measure as Chikatara scored his second goal off another assist by Okoro.

The 21-year-old Chikatara completed his hat-trick when he finished off a through ball from Prince Aggreh.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw