International Football

Titanic Clash as Nigeria Face Ghana in WAFU Cup Final

Published

7 years ago

September 22, 2017

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 63^rd 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

International Football

BREAKING – Video: Osimhen accepts to join Galatasaray

Published

1 week ago

September 3, 2024

Kunle Solaja

At last, Nigeria’s striker Victor Osimhen is out of the limbo. He has accepted to join Galatasaray on loan.

He is now asking for a release clause at Napoli to become €75m instead of €130m

He also wants a break clause for January in case top clubs approach him over move.

The final points are being discussed. He has been videoed celebrating with the Turkey club’s fans.

International Football

Uruguay striker Suarez to play last international match on Friday

Published

1 week ago

September 3, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Uruguay striker Luis Suarez announced his international retirement on Monday, ending a 17-year career with his national team as their top scorer with 69 goals.

The 37-year-old, who has 142 caps for his country, made his international debut in 2007 and was key in the squad that reached the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup and won the Copa America a year later.

“Friday will be my last match with my country’s national team,” an emotional Suarez told a press conference.

“The fact that is my decision to retire and that I’m not retired because of injuries or that they stop calling me for one thing or another, that gives me a lot of comfort, it helps me individually.

“It’s difficult but it gives me peace of mind that until the last game I have given my all, and that flame has not been extinguished little by little,” the striker added.

Uruguay take on Paraguay at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo on Friday in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup before facing Venezuela four days later.

Suarez scored the stoppage-time goal against Canada that secured third place at the Copa America in July and the striker added that one of his aims was to show he could continue to contribute to the national team.

“My dream was for my children to see me win something important with the national team … that last goal was very nice for them and even though it wasn’t a trophy to take home, it was very nice for them,” he said.

“I wanted to show people again that I can continue to contribute to the national team and, well, I had the Copa America and yes, I could have done it (retired) perfectly after that, but having analysed the situation, I want to do it with my people, in my stadium.

“I want my children to live this experience. Saying goodbye with the people here is something that I don’t know if many have done.”

Suarez has already said Inter Miami will be his last club after joining the Major League Soccer side last year to reunite with former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

-Reuters

International Football

Quitting Portugal never crossed my mind, says Ronaldo

Published

1 week ago

September 3, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo dismissed suggestions he had considered ending his international career in the near future, adding that post-Euro criticism did not worry him.

Portugal host Croatia in their Nations League opener on Thursday before welcoming Scotland in League A Group One on Sunday.

“That’s all from the press. It never crossed my mind that my cycle (with Portugal) had come to an end. Quite the opposite: it gave me even more motivation to continue to be honest,” Ronaldo told a press conference on Monday.

“The motivation is to come to the national team to win the Nations League … We’ve already won it once and we want to do it again. I might say the same thing over and over again, but I don’t think long term, it’s always short term.”

Ronaldo captained Portugal to success in the opening edition of the Nations League in 2018-19, three years after they became European Champions for the first time in France.

“Until the end of my career, I will always have the mindset that I will be a starter,” Ronaldo added.

“What I feel at the moment, and the coach’s (Roberto Martinez) words also demonstrate this, is that I continue to be an asset to the national team and I will be the first (to admit it) if that isn’t the case.

“When I’m (no longer) an asset I will be the first to leave. But I will go with a clear conscience, as always, because I know who I am, what I can do, what I do and what I will continue to do.”

The 39-year-old appeared untroubled by criticism he faced for failing to score at the 2024 European Championship.

“Criticism is great because if it doesn’t exist there’s no progress. It’s always been like this. Is it going to change now? It won’t,” Ronaldo said.

“So I try to follow my path, be as professional as possible, help in the best way possible with my professionalism and not just with goals, assists, discipline, and example, because football is much more than just playing well or scoring a goal.

“The people who give their opinions have never been in a locker room, and I often laugh because it’s the same thing as me talking about Formula 1.

“How can I give my opinion on Formula 1 if I don’t know anything about tires, rims or the weight of the car … It’s normal and that’s why for me criticism is good and part of it, it’s no problem at all.”

-Reuters