Nigeria’s Beach Soccer national team, Sand Eagles, fought bravely and commendably before a narrow 4-6 defeat to African champions Senegal in their second friendly match at Murtala Muhammed Square, Kaduna, on Monday.
Senegal had recorded a similar victory in the first leg on Saturday, even as the Sand Eagles showed little sign of a team that had not played competitively on the international stage for two years.
On Monday, the Coach Abdullahi Isa-tutored side showed even greater verve and doggedness, with Hassan Abdullahi, Hamza Manga, Sodiq Umar and Hassan Abubakar scoring against the more illustrious visitors.
For Senegal, Libasse Mbaye, Mamadou Sylla, Assane Ba, Mandione Laye Diagne and goalkeeper Oussaynou Faye were on target, while Nigeria’s Godspower Igudia agonisingly deflected the ball into his own net to add to Senegal’s tally.
The two-match series provided valuable preparation for Nigeria ahead of their Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations (BSAFCON) qualifying clash against Ghana next Saturday. Despite the narrow losses, the friendlies offered the Sand Eagles an opportunity to fine-tune their tactical and technical preparedness before the crucial qualifiers against the Black Sharks, with the first leg scheduled for Saturday, 10th October 2026 in Kaduna before the team travels to Accra, Ghana for the return on Sunday, 18th October.
The Confederation of African Football has now scheduled this year’s Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations finals for 28th November – 6th December in Senegal.
SENEGAL 2026 Race: Hard-fighting Sand Eagles lose narrowly to Senegal again
Pius Idoko is a seasoned sports broadcaster with experience across TV, radio, print, and online media. He is the Publisher of The Continental News and currently serves as the Media Officer for Nigeria’s U13, U15, and U16 teams, as well as the official stadium announcer for all national teams under the NFF.
His career includes roles at Aso Radio/TV, Brila FM, and Cool/Wazobia/Nigeria Info FM, where he excelled as a sports presenter and football commentator. An award-winning journalist, he was recognized for excellence at the 2019 Dreamland Embassy of Hungary Cup.
Pius is also a voice-over artist who enjoys reading and singing.
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