Abdullahi Hassan scored all four Nigeria goals, but the Sand Eagles lost 6–4 to Senegal in the first of two friendly matches in Kaduna. The official Nigeria Football Federation report said the game at Murtala Muhammed Square Beach Soccer Pitch was competitive before the defending African champions took the result.
Hassan first cancelled Laye Diagne’s opener, then kept Nigeria in the contest with every one of the Sand Eagles’ goals. The NFF confirmed that the forward was named Man of the Match after his four-goal display. Senegal’s scorers were Mamadou Sylla, who struck a hat-trick, Jean-Paul Ninou Diatta and Assane Ba.
The score matters less as a final verdict than as a sharp test before Nigeria meet Ghana in CAF Beach Soccer AFCON qualifying this month. Nigeria faced the African champions precisely to measure their level under pressure. Before the friendlies, coach Abdullahi Isa called Senegal “a good test match for Nigeria” and said the meetings would help preparations “in a big way”. Hassan’s response gives him and the coaching staff a clear attacking positive to take from a difficult afternoon.
There is an immediate chance to respond. The NFF has confirmed a second friendly against Senegal at the same Kaduna venue on Monday morning, 5 October. Supporters should treat that match as the more useful indicator: the Sand Eagles can test whether they create enough around Hassan and whether they close the gaps that allowed Senegal to reach six.
Nigeria will need both parts of that answer before Ghana. Hassan has supplied a major individual performance; the next question is whether the Sand Eagles can turn it into a team result when Senegal return on Monday.
What is the bigger positive from the 6–4 loss: Hassan’s four goals or a second chance to fix the defensive gaps before Ghana?
