The first leg of the 2026 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier between Nigeria and Ghana ended in a 3-3 draw in Kaduna on Saturday.
Moroccan referee Driss Lamghaidar and his officiating team admitted they made a mistake by allowing extra time and penalties to be played.
The anomaly was spotted by officials and spectators when the referee ordered extra time despite the fixture being a two-legged contest.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) immediately demanded an explanation after the match at the Murtala Muhammed Square Beach Soccer Pitch.
At a meeting on Saturday night, Lamghaidar admitted he had erred in taking the game to extra time and subsequently penalties, as it was only a first-leg encounter.
The NFF confirmed the 3-3 scoreline from regulation time will be recorded going into the second leg.
Nigeria’s goals were scored by Isa Hamza Manga, who netted a hat-trick. Ghana scored through Mawuli Sosu, who grabbed a brace, and Wise Nyamadi, who added the other goal for the Black Sharks.
The Second Leg and Qualification
StakesThe second leg and decider will take place on Sunday, 18 October in Keta, Ghana. The tie remains delicately poised, with both teams having everything to play for in the return fixture.
The winner over two legs will progress in the race to qualify for the 2026 CAF Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations in Senegal.
Nigeria’s Sand Eagles last participated in the beach soccer AFCON in 2018 and have missed the last three tournaments.
The team withdrew from the 2022 edition due to a lack of funds and administrative challenges.
Nigeria is a two-time winner of the legacy African Beach Soccer Championship and has been runners-up twice since CAF rebranded the competition in 2015.
Top officials watched the encounter in Kaduna, including the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, and Kaduna State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Ben Kure.
