Beginning their title defence in the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024, defending champions Senegal narrowly defeated Nigeria 1-0 at Amaan Stadium on Tuesday.

After a fast counterattack in the 75th minute, Christian Gomis scored the winning goal and delighted the Senegalese supporters.

Though Nigeria pushed hard, with Nduka Junior and Raymond Tochukwu getting early yellow cards, the game showed a tense first half with few chances.

Marc Diouf, the goalie for Senegal, made critical saves while both sides battled to capitalise on chances.

Nigeria pressed for an equaliser in the second half, but Senegal’s defence, spearheaded by Seyni Ndiaye and Joseph Layousse, held firm despite Nigeria’s late attacks, including a near miss from Vincent Temitope.

Coach Souleymane Diallo of Senegal claimed his players felt no pressure in defending their title, a sentiment reflected in their excellent showing.

Senegal leads Group D with this victory; Nigeria hopes to rebound in their next games.