From that point, Sudan controlled the match with composure. Nigeria pushed forward sporadically, with Raymond Tochukwu hitting the post late on, but Mohamed Abooja in the Sudanese goal dealt comfortably with anything that came his way. Chelle made a flurry of substitutions in a bid to change the tempo, but Sudan’s defensive organisation held firm.

Sudan’s victory, following their opening draw against Congo, moves them to four points from two matches and within touching distance of the knockout stages. For Nigeria, the defeat is a sobering blow to their CHAN ambitions. The 2018 finalists exit at the first hurdle, their campaign defined by a lack of cutting edge up front and defensive lapses that their opponents punished clinically.

For Chelle and his players, the post-mortem will begin immediately, but in Zanzibar the night belonged to Sudan, who celebrated a famous win that will be remembered by their supporters for years to come.