Heartbreak as Nigeria misses out on AFCON qualification

Nigeria's bid to reclaim their Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations title has ended abruptly following a heartbreaking defeat to Mauritania in the qualifiers.

The Supersand Eagles fought bravely in the second leg of their qualifier, held on home soil in Kaduna. Despite mounting a spirited comeback, they could not overcome their opponents.

Failure to defeat Mauritania means the Supersand Eagles have missed the chance to book a place in the Beach Soccer AFCON tournament, which Egypt will host.

Nigeria lost 5-6 to Mauritania (10-10 on aggregate); with the results, Nigeria will miss out on the finals in Egypt, while Mauritania go through on the away goal rule.

Coach Abdullahi Isa's team showcased impressive resilience, repeatedly clawing their way back into the match.

However, Mauritania proved to be a formidable force, ultimately denying Nigeria a return to the continental stage after a four-year absence.

Standout performances from Taiwo Adams and Abdullahi Hassan were not enough to salvage the situation as the two-time African champions suffered a significant setback.

The team will now focus on rebuilding and preparing for future competitions.

Meanwhile, Nigeria's Beach Soccer team, the Supersand Eagles, were on the brink of qualifying for the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations after a dramatic 5-4 victory over Mauritania in the first leg of their qualifier.

Goals from Emeka Ogbonna and Emmanuel Ohwoferia put Nigeria 2-0 up before Mauritania pulled one back to end the first half 2-1.