Nigeria’s Chisom Chikatara stole the headlines as he came off the bench to score a hat-trick to help his side beat Niger 4-1 in their opening Group C games at the 2016 African Nations Championship.
The first half was a drab encounter with chances few and far between both teams. That was quickly changed moments after the break when Moses Okoro scored after a good team move.
Super sub Chikatara replaced Tunde Adeniji with just over 30 minutes left to play.
He scored the first of his three goals 15 minutes later when he fired home from a ball played over the top by first goal scorer Okoro.
Niger got back into the game shortly after that when Adje Zakari Adebayor found the net with a long range effort
Any hopes of staging a comeback was quickly dashed when Chikatara scored his second just a minute later before eventually getting his third in injury time.
In the opening match of the day, Tunisia twice took the lead against Guinea through Ahmed Akaichim his opener was an acrobatic finish on 32 minutes
Alseny Camara tapped in to level on 39 minutes, but after the break Akaichi restored Tunisia's lead with a long range drive.
Alseny Camara scored his brace with just eight minutes left on the clock to restore parity.
Tunisia play Nigeria and Niger take on Guinea in the second round of games on Friday.
.
-
Follow Joy Sports on Twitter: @Joy997FM. Our hashtag is #JoySports
Latest Stories
-
Presidents should have no business in pardoning people – Prof Abotsi
1 minute -
Samuel Addo Otoo pops up for Ashanti Regional Minister
5 minutes -
Not every ministry needs a minister – Joyce Bawa
29 minutes -
Police shouldn’t wait for President’s directive to investigate election-related deaths – Kwaku Asare
59 minutes -
Mahama was intentional in repairing ties with neighbouring countries – Barker-Vormawor
1 hour -
Mahama decouples Youth and Sports Ministry, to create Sports and Recreation Ministry
1 hour -
Mahama’s open endorsement of Bagbin needless – Rabi Salifu
2 hours -
Police station torched as Ejura youth clash with officers
2 hours -
If Ibrahim Traoré goes civilian, it may be because of Mahama’s inauguration – Prof Abotsi
3 hours -
Kwaku Asare welcomes Mahama’s reduction in Ministries but advocates legislative process to cement it
3 hours -
I’m concerned about failure to implement AWW report – Prof Abotsi
3 hours -
US returns $50m in alleged stolen funds to Nigeria
3 hours -
Mahama restructures Ministries, reduced from 30 to 23 – See full list
4 hours -
2 siblings die after being locked in water drum by 6-year-old sister
4 hours -
Mahama shouldn’t have openly directed Parliament to elect Speaker – Prof. Kwaku Asare
4 hours