Nigeria’s beach-soccer qualification contest with Ghana remains level at 3–3, according to the Nigeria Football Federation, after an officiating mistake created confusion over the outcome of Saturday’s first leg in Kaduna.
The federation said Moroccan referee Driss Lamghaidar acknowledged that the match should not have proceeded to extra time and a penalty shootout. The decisive return fixture is scheduled for Sunday, 18 October, in Keta, Ghana.
The clarification matters for supporters who encountered initial accounts describing a shootout defeat for Nigeria. Under the position set out by the NFF, the Sand Eagles will travel for the second leg with the contest still tied, rather than with a first-leg penalty result deciding their qualification hopes.
What the federation says happened
In its account of the incident, the NFF said the officials ordered additional play after regulation time ended 3–3. It said it immediately sought an explanation and that Lamghaidar admitted the error during a meeting on Saturday night.
Isa Hamza Manga scored all three Nigerian goals. Ghana’s response came through two goals from Mawuli Sosu and one from Wise Nyamadi. Those contributions leave neither team with a lead from regulation time.
The NFF’s statement is the basis for the corrected account of the match. It describes an officiating error; it does not establish deliberate wrongdoing by the referee or his assistants.
A return leg with everything at stake
Saturday’s fixture took place at the Murtala Muhammed Square Beach Pitch in Kaduna. The federation’s pre-match announcement had identified it as the first leg of the final qualifying round for the 2026 Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations.
That designation is central to understanding the dispute. The two teams were contesting a tie spread across two matches, with the return still to be played. Supporters therefore need to distinguish the events that occurred on the pitch after the initial draw from the score the federation says should stand.
Western Post also reported the officials’ admission and the 18 October return date. Its account identified senior sports administrators among those present in Kaduna, including National Sports Commission chairman Shehu Dikko.
Preparation now meets a competitive test
Nigeria entered the Ghana tie after arranging preparatory games against Senegal. Before those matches, Sand Eagles coach Abdullahi Isa said facing strong continental opposition would help a team in need of competitive preparation.
The Senegal fixtures offered an opportunity to work on combinations and restore match rhythm before qualification began. Senegal coach Med Jean Sylla also described the meetings as useful preparation for both countries’ continental commitments.
Saturday’s three-goal return provides evidence that Nigeria could find a way through Ghana’s defence. Conceding three at the other end means the scoring performance alone did not produce an advantage to take into the return.
What Nigeria must resolve next
For the Sand Eagles, the practical task is now to prepare for Keta with a clear understanding of the tie’s status. The officiating controversy should not obscure the sporting challenge: Ghana matched Nigeria’s scoring output and will have another opportunity to contest the place at stake.
Manga’s hat-trick is a significant individual contribution, but the next match will require a collective response. Maintaining concentration after scoring, limiting avoidable defensive mistakes and converting opportunities remain the straightforward priorities.
The immediate development is the NFF’s correction of the first-leg account. Qualification itself remains to be settled on the pitch in the return encounter.
