International Football
Titanic Clash as Nigeria Face Ghana in WAFU Cup Final
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
It may not be a classic in a normal continental fixture, but a clash of Nigeria’s selected side against their Ghanaian counterparts evoke passion any day.
The final match of the revived WAFU Nations Cup on Sunday will therefore not be an exception even if the two countries are not featuring their best known talents.
Sports Village Square recalls that beyond the quest to win the WAFU Cup, national honour is at stake as clashes of both sides evoke passion since the first encounter 66 years ago in the then Jalco Cup played annually till 1959.
Even though the recent encounters seem to skew in favour of Nigeria, Ghana won most matches overall. This Sunday’s clash will be the 63rd involving national selections of both sides at Grade A or B encounters.
Sunday’s match is at Grade B level as it involved limited selections of players in the domestic league. Nine years ago when both first clashed at limited selection stage – the inaugural African Nations Championship qualification series, Ghana prevailed as Nigeria let off an initial two goal lead in Accra to lose 2-3.
In the return leg played in Calabar, Nigeria could only manage a goalless draw and crashed out on 2-3 aggregate.
Three years later at a WAFU Cup clash in Abeokuta, South West Nigeria, the Nigerian team won 2-1. When both clashed at the semi-finals of African Nations Championship in South Africa three years ago, Ghana prevailed in 4-1 in an ensuing penalty shootout after regulation and extra time score line stood at 0-0. But last week, the Nigerian team B side beat Ghana 2-0 in a Group A encounter of the current WAFU Cup.
Ghana, besides playing on home soil, will naturally be aiming for a revenge on Sunday. This, the Nigerian coach, Salisu Yusuf seems to know. According to a media statement from the NFF Media Department, Salisu Yusuf, is not perturbed: “We know what they will be up to and what they will be ready to give to take the trophy. We are more than ready to confront them and give them more than they expect.
“The Super Eagles have become used to winning, from winning the CHAN ticket to conquering Sierra Leone and even Ghana here to reach the final, and we cannot stop now. We want that winning mentality to remain all the way to the CHAN finals early next year.”
Even though the WAFU Cup could have served as dress rehearsal for the Nigerian side ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations holding in January, information at the disposal of Sports Village Square indicates that most of the current players may no longer be eligible as they are at the brink of signing overseas contracts.
GHANA – NIGERIA: Head-to-Head
P W D L F A
Ghana 62 23 21 18 91 68
Nigeria 62 18 21 23 68 91
20 Oct.1951 (JalcoCup) Nigeria 5-0 Ghana
11 Oct.1953 (JalcoCup) Ghana 1-0 Nigeria
30 Oct.1954 (JalcoCup) Nigeria 3-0 Ghana
30 Oct.1955 (JalcoCup) Ghana 7-0 Nigeria
27Oct.1956 (JalcoCup) Nigeria 3-0 Ghana
27Oct.1957 (JalcoCup) Ghana 3 -3 Nigeria
25 Oct.1958 (JalcoCup) Nigeria 3-2 Ghana
10 Oct. 1959 (OQ.) Nigeria 3 -1 Ghana
26 Oct. 1959 (OQ.) Ghana 4-1 Nigeria
22 Nov.1959 (JalcoCup) Ghana 5 -2 Nigeria
28 Aug. 1960 (WCq) Ghana 4-1 Nigeria
10 Sept. 1960 (WCq) Nigeria 2 -2 Ghana
9Oct.1960 (Nkrumah Cup) Nigeria 0-3 Ghana
29 Oct.1960 (Zik Cup) Nigeria 1-1 Ghana
8 April. 1961 (ACNq) Nigeria 0 -0 Ghana
30 Apr. 1961 (ACNq) Ghana 2-2 Nigeria
17 Dec. 1961 (F) Ghana 5 -1 Nigeria
10 Nov.1962 (F) Nigeria 0 -0 Ghana
23Feb.1963 (Nkrumah Cup) Ghana 5-0 Nigeria
30 Oct.1965 (Zik Cup) Nigeria 0-4 Ghana
7 Nov.1965 (Zik Cup) Ghana 3-0 Nigeria
28 Jan.1967 (Zik Cup) Nigeria 2-2 Ghana
12 Feb.1967 (Zik Cup) Ghana 2-0 Nigeria
22 Oct.1967 (Zik Cup) Ghana 2-1 Nigeria
23 Dec1967 (Zik Cup) Nigeria 2 -2 Ghana
10 May 1969 (WCq) Nigeria 2-1 Ghana
18 May 1969 (WCq) Ghana 1-1 Nigeria
8 Jan.1973 (2AAG.) Nigeria 4-2 Ghana
10 Feb. 1973 (WCq) Nigeria 2-3 Ghana
*Awarded 2- 0 to Ghana
25 Feb. 1973 (WCq) Ghana 0-0 Nigeria
11 Aug. 1974 (Festival) Nigeria 1-1 Ghana
17 Aug. 1974 (Festival) Nigeria 0-1 Ghana
24 Aug1975 (Festival) Ghana 1-2 Nigeria
30 Aug.1975 (Festival) Ghana 3-0 Nigeria
4 Sept.1977 (Ecowas) Nigeria 2-1 Ghana
8 Mar. 1978 (ACN) Ghana 1-1 Nigeria
21 July 1978 (3AAG) Ghana 0-0 Nigeria
1 May1983 (ECA.anniv) Ghana1-0 Nigeria
15 Oct. 1983 (OQ.) Nigeria 0 -0 Ghana
30 Oct. 1983 (OQ.) Ghana 1-2 Nigeria
5 March 1984(ACN) Ghana 1-2 Nigeria
27 Jul. 1986 (F) Ghana 2 -0 Nigeria
2 Sept.1990 (ACNq) Ghana 1-0 Nigeria
13 April 1991 (ACNq) Nigeria 0-0 Ghana
23 Jan. 1992 (ACN) Ghana 2-1 Nigeria
9 March 1994 (F) Nigeria 0-0 Ghana
28 Aug. 1999 (F) Nigeria 0-0 Ghana
11 Mar. 2001(WCq) Ghana 0-0 Nigeria
29 Jul.2001 (WCq) Nigeria 3-0 Ghana
3 Feb. 2002 (ACN) Ghana 0-1 Nigeria
15 Dec. 2002 (F) Ghana 0-1 Nigeria
30 May 2003 (LG Cup) Nigeria 3-1 Ghana
23 Jan. 2006 (ACN) Ghana 0-1 Nigeria
6 Feb 2007 (F) Ghana 4-1 Nigeria
3 Feb 2008 (ACN) Ghana 2-1 Nigeria
30 Nov. 2008 (Chan q) Ghana 3-2 Nigeria
14 Dec. 2008 (Chan q) Nigeria 0-0 Ghana
28 Jan. 2010 (ACN) Ghana 1-0 Nigeria
12 May 2011 (WAFU) Nigeria 2-1 Ghana
11 Oct. 2011 (F) Ghana 0-0 Nigeria
29 Jan. 2014 (Chan) Ghana 0-0 Nigeria (aet; 4-1 pso)
18 Sept 2017 (WAFU) Ghana 0-2 Nigeria
Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Mateus Mane has become hot property after Portugal named the 17-year-old in their Under-18 squad on Friday, one day after England included him in their squad.
Mane was called up for a second successive England youth camp by coach Liam Bramley before the team travel to Marbella for a four-team tournament this month.
Mane is eligible for both teams having played for the Portugal Under-17 side last season. As the Under-18 team is a non-UEFA age group, both nations are entitled to call the player up.
He made his England international debut last month against the Portugal Under-18 side who have named Mane in their squad for a four-nation tournament this month.
With both tournaments running concurrently, Mane can only play for one team and Wolves and England confirmed he would feature in Bramley’s side.
Reuters has contacted Portugal’s football association for clarification.
While players with multiple nationalities have played for more than one country if they are eligible, they are not allowed to switch allegiances at senior level – unless they have played only in friendly matches for the first country.
-Reuters
After 107 matches spanning nine years, Aliou Cisse will not have his contract renewed as Senegal coach, officials confirmed on Wednesday. Of the 107 matches, Cisse’s team won 70, drew 24 and lost 13.
But the impressive scorecard is not enough to impress his employers.
Thus, the end beckons for Cisse’s successful nine-year spell in charge of the side that included a first Africa Cup of Nations title and two World Cup qualifications.
He had been under increasing pressure after Senegal’s surprise last 16 exit at the 2023 Cup of Nations when they lost on penalties to hosts Cote d’Ivoire.
Senegal are unbeaten in six matches since then, but home draws with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burkina Faso, and criticism from certain quarters over their style of play, made up the mind of the country’s sports ministry, who fund the salary of the national team coach, that a change was needed.
“The FSF would like to thank Aliou Cisse for his good collaboration and his brilliant results at the head of the various national selections that he has managed since his arrival in 2011 and wish him every success for the future,” the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) said in a statement.
FSF added Cisse’s exit stemmed from a failure to fulfil the targets in his last contract, which expired at the end of August, which included victory at the 2023 Cup of Nations and reaching the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.
They also said the “regression of our national team in the FIFA rankings and the risk of disaffection between our national team and the Senegalese (public)” had played a role.
The FSF will appoint an interim technical team to lead the side in Cup of Nations qualifiers against Malawi at home on Oct. 11 and away four days later.
Cisse, 48, was captain of Senegal when they reached the quarter-finals of the 2002 World Cup with what is heralded as a golden generation of players.
He briefly had a spell as caretaker coach of the national team in 2012, but took over full time three years later.
He led Senegal to 2018 and 2022 World Cup qualification, making the last 16 in the latter before losing to England. They were beaten in the final of the 2019 Cup of Nations by Algeria.
The side made up for that disappointment when they beat Egypt in the final two years later to be crowned African champions for the first time.
Always in the news for bad reasons, Samuel Eto’o has again made global headlines. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has banned the former striker and the current president of the Cameroon Football Federation.
He is banned from attending Cameroon’s matches for the next six months for violating conduct rules during the recent U-20 Women’s World Cup, where his national team faced Brazil in the round of 16.
According to FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, Eto’o was found to have breached articles 13 (“Offensive behaviour and violations of fair play principles”) and 14 (“Misconduct of players and officials”) of FIFA’s Disciplinary Code.
The sanction stems specifically from the match between Brazil and Cameroon, held on September 11 in Bogotá, Colombia. As a result, Eto’o will be prohibited from attending any matches involving Cameroon’s national teams, both male and female, across all age groups.
“Mr Eto’o has been notified today, the date on which the sanction comes into force,” stated the FIFA press release.
This is not the first time Eto’o has faced controversy. He previously drew attention for his behavior towards players and national team coach Marc Brys, whom he allegedly threatened in front of cameras if his directives were not followed.
During the Qatar World Cup, the former Real Madrid, Mallorca, and Barcelona player made headlines again after assaulting a fan who filmed him outside a stadium after a match.
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