Nigeria defeated Sudan 3-1 in their AFCON 2021 encounter at the Stade Roumdé Adjia in Garoua, Cameroon, on Saturday.
The victory assures the Super Eagles of a place in the Round of 16.
With the victory, the Super Eagles won their opening two matches at an Africa Cup of Nations in consecutive tournaments for the very first time, according to the Confederation of Africa football.
Samuel Chukwueze, Taiwo Awoniyi and man of the match Simon Moses scored for the three time African before Walieldin Safour reduced the deficit with a second half penalty.
Nigeria came into the match on the back of their strong 1-0 performance against Egypt while Sudan held Guinea Bissau to a goalless stalemate.
Augustine Eguavoen’s charges got of to a flying start at the Roumde Adjia Stadium in Garoua. Samuel Chukwueze clinically dispatched Simon Moses’ inch perfect pass beyond the keeper to break the deadlock.
Young striker Taiwo Awoniyi doubled the Super Eagles’ advantage on the stroke of half time with an instinctive header.
Nigeria sealed the victory just after the restart through Moses Simon’s individual goal to book their place in the knockout stages of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations, Cameroon 2021 with a game to spare.
Sudan won a penalty on 67 minutes following a video assistant referee review. Ola Aina was adjudged to have fouled Mustafa Mohammed in the area.
Safour slotted the resulting spot kick past Maduka Okoye to make it 3-1.
Both sides continued to create chances but failed to score with the result giving Nigeria pole position in the Group and a place in the knockout stage.
The second match of Group D see record champions Egypt take on Guinea Bissau as they try to revive their hopes of progressing.
At the commencement of the second half, Alex Iwobi replaced Samuel Chukwueze, who scored Nigeria’s first goal.
Nigeria and Sudan met for the third time at the Africa Cup of Nations, but it’s their first encounter at the tournament for 46 years.