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Besides breaking recent chains of loses to Ghana, Super Eagles have all to play for in 60th match with arch rivals

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4 months ago

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Besides breaking recent chains of loses to Ghana, Super Eagles have all to play for in 60th match with arch rivals

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

No other team in the world has as much fixtures with Nigeria than Ghana. Both have met 59 times across different competitions and for a very long time.

 

The Friday match at the Stade de Marrakech, the world’s first ever rectangular-shaped stadium with elliptical running tracks, will be the 60th encounter of Nigeria and Ghana.

It will also be the first national team handling for both coaches.

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Finidi George debuts as an interim coach for the Super Eagles, Addo Atto debuts as full-time handler for the Ghana Black Stars.

Both therefore have points to make in the prestige-boosting match-up. More importantly, the Nigerian side, very familiar with the Marrakech stadium having played some away qualifying  matches there in the frame of AFCON 2023, will be attempting to break a chain of invincibility surrounding recent matches with Ghana.

Nigeria last beat Ghana 18 years ago during the Ghana 2006 Afcon. In six successive matches, Ghana either beat the Super Eagles or the match is drawn.

Often recalled is the Nigeria elimination from the 2022 World Cup by Ghana. This is then followed up with the Nigerian home-based team elimination from the qualifiers for African Nations Championships (CHAN) by Ghana.

Last year, Nigeria’s team in the CAF Champions League, Remo Stars were eliminated in a penalty shoot-out by Ghana’s Medeama.

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Seven months ago, Nigeria’s Delta Queens failed to qualify for the 3rd edition of the CAF Women Champions League. after losing to Ghana’s Amem Daroa.

The chain of loses began in a 6 February 2007 match at the Griffin Park in London. It was Austin Eguavoen’s last match in his first stint as Super Eagles’ handler.

The next day, a new helmsman, Berti Vogts was unveiled. The 4-1 defeat caused Nigeria’s biggest fall in FIFA ranking, dropping from ninth position to 20 to begin a gradual descent.

Ghana’s invincibility will be further stretched if the Super Eagles fail to win on Friday.

 

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NIGERIA, GHANA IN HISTORY

  • 20 0ct 1951 (Jalco Cup): Nigeria 5 Ghana 0
  • 11 Oct 1953 (Jalco Cup): Ghana 1 Nigeria 0
  • 30 Oct 1954 (Jalco Cup): Nigeria 3 Ghana 0
  • 30 Oct 1955 (Jalco Cup): Ghana 7 Nigeria 0
  • 27 Oct 1956 (Jalco Cup): Nigeria 3 Ghana 0
  • 27 Oct 1957 (Jalco Cup): Ghana 3 Nigeria 3
  • 25 Oct 1958 (Jalco Cup): Nigeria 3 Ghana 2
  • 10 Oct 1959 (Olympics Qualifier): Nigeria 3 Ghana 1
  • 26 Oct 1959 (Olympics Qualifier): Ghana 4 Nigeria 1
  • 22 Nov 1959 (Jalco Cup): Ghana 5 Nigeria 2
  • 28 Aug 1960 (WC Qualifier): Ghana 4 Nigeria 1
  • 10 Sep 1960 (WC Qualifier): Nigeria 2 Ghana 2
  • 9 Oct 1960 (Nkrumah Cup): Nigeria 0 Ghana 3
  • 29 Oct 1960 (Zik Cup): Nigeria 1 Ghana 1
  • 8 Apr 1961 (AFCON Qualifier): Nigeria 0 Ghana 0
  • 30 Apr 1961 (AFCON Qualifier): Ghana 2 Nigeria 2
  • 17 Dec 1961 (Friendly): Ghana 5 Nigeria 1
  • 10 Nov 1962 (Friendly): Nigeria 0 Ghana 0
  • 23 Feb 1963 (Nkrumah Cup); Ghana 5 Nigeria 0
  • 30 Oct 1965 (Zik Cup): Nigeria 0 Ghana 4
  • 7 Nov 1965 (Zik Cup): Ghana 3 Nigeria 0
  • 23 Jan 1967 (Zik Cup): Nigeria 2 Ghana 2
  • 12 Feb 1967 (Zik Cup): Ghana 2 Nigeria 0
  • 22 Oct 1967 (Zik Cup):Ghana 2 Nigeria 1
  • 23 Dec 1967 (Zik Cup): Nigeria 2 Ghana 2
  • 10 May 1969 (WC Qualifier): Nigeria 2 Ghana 1
  • 18 May 1969 (WC Qualifier): Ghana 1 Nigeria 1
  • 8 Jan 1973 (All-Africa Games): Nigeria 4 Ghana 2
  • 10 Feb 1973 (WC Qualifier): Nigeria 2 Ghana 3 – abandoned, match awarded 2-0 to Ghana
  • 25 Feb 1973 (WC Qualifier): Ghana 0 Nigeria 0
  • 11 Aug 1974 (Festival): Nigeria 1 Ghana 0
  • 17 Aug 1974 (Festival): Nigeria 0 Ghana 1
  • 24 Aug 1975 (Festival): Ghana 1 Nigeria 2
  • 30 Aug 1975 (Festival): Ghana 3 Nigeria 0
  • 4 Sep 1977 (Ecowas Cup): Nigeria 2 Ghana 1
  • 8 Mar 1978 (AFCON): Ghana 1 Nigeria 1
  • 21 July 1978 (All-Africa Games): Ghana 0 Nigeria 0
  • 1 May 1983 (ECA Anniversary): Ghana 1 Nigeria 0
  • 15 Oct 1983 (Olympics Qualifier): Nigeria 0 Ghana 0
  • 30 Oct 1983 (Olympics Qualifier): Ghana 1 Nigeria 2
  • 5 Mar 1984 (AFCON): Ghana 1 Nigeria 2
  • 27 July 1986 (Friendly): Ghana 2 Nigeria 0
  • 2 Sep 1990 (AFCON Qualifier): Ghana 1 Nigeria 0
  • 13 Apr 1991 (AFCON Qualifier): Nigeria 0 Ghana 0
  • 23 Jan 1992 (AFCON): Ghana 2 Nigeria 1
  • 9 Mar 1994 (Friendly): Nigeria 0 Ghana 0
  • 28 Aug 1999 (Friendly): Nigeria 0 Ghana 0
  • 11 Mar 2001 (WC Qualifier): Ghana 0 Nigeria 0
  • 29 July 2001 (WC Qualifier): Nigeria 3 Ghana 0
  • 3 Feb 2002 (AFCON): Ghana 0 Nigeria 1
  • 15 Dec 2002 (Friendly): Ghana 0 Nigeria 1
  • 30 May 2003 (LG Cup): Nigeria 3 Ghana 1
  • 23 Jan 2006 (AFCON): Ghana 0 Nigeria 1
  • 6 Feb 2007 (Friendly): Ghana 4 Nigeria 1
  • 3 Feb 2008 (AFCON): Ghana 2 Nigeria 1
  • 28 Jan 2010 (AFCON): Ghana 1 Nigeria 0
  • 11 Oct 2011 (Friendly): Ghana 0 Nigeria 0
  • 25 Mar 2022 (WC Qualifier): Ghana 0 Nigeria 0
  • 29 Mar 2022 (WC Qualifier): Nigeria 1 Ghana 1
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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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FEDERATION CUP

President Federation Cup: At least five Premier clubs are doomed for elimination

Published

2 months ago

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May 21, 2024

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Star War in Akwa as Lobi Stars face Shooting Stars. One Premier League club will be eliminated

No fewer than five clubs in the Nigeria Premier League will be eliminated this week from the President Federation Cup.

At the moment, 11 of the 17 premier league clubs are on course as the knock-out competition gets to the Round of 32.

Undoubtedly, the non-application of seeding has seen five fixtures pitching the top clubs together while another five pitched lower division clubs against one another.

The remaining six pairings have premier league clubs facing lower ranked teams. These include: relegation-threatened Akwa United facing Zamfara United in Abuja and Gombe United facing former top division sides, El-Kanemi Warriors in Kaduna.  

Another ‘mixed fixture’ will see Premier sides, Kwara United facing Warri Wolves while Abia Warriors will face Sporting Supreme of the FCT.

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Premier sides, Bendel Insurance will face Wikki Tourists of Bauchi as Enyimba are pitched against Akwa Ibom’s FC Rockets.

But nothing is guaranteed to the Premier League sides as knockout competitions are replete with underdogs upstaging power houses.

No matter the situations, five of the Premier League are doomed for elimination. Former champions Lobi Stars and Shooting Stars in a “Star War” in Awka.

Plateau United and  Sunshine Stars are meeting in Abuja just as Rivers United will face fellow Premier League sides, Niger Tornadoes in Auchi.

Katsina United and Bayelsa United will play in Abuja while Doma United face  Kano Pillars in Bauchi.

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MEN’S ROUND OF 32 FIXTURES

Bendel Insurance (Edo) Vs Wikki Tourists (Bauchi) – Abuja Area 3 – 22/05/24 – 4pm

EFCC FC (FCT) Vs Edel FC (Anambra) – Ilorin – 22/05/24 – 4pm

ABS FC (Kwara) Vs Kebbi United (Kebbi) – Abuja Goal Project – 23/05/24 – 4pm

Akwa United (Akwa Ibom) Vs Zamfara United Feeders (Zamfara) – Abuja Bwari – 23/05/24 – 4pm

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Gombe United (Gombe) Vs El-Kanemi Warriors (Borno) – Kaduna – 22/05/24 – 4pm

Lobi Stars (Benue) Vs Shooting Stars (Oyo) – Awka – 22/05/24 – 4pm

Ikorodu City (Lagos) Vs Coal City (Enugu) – Benin City – 23/05/24 – 4pm

Hammola Int’l (Osun) Vs Inter Lagos (Lagos) – Ibadan – 22/05/24 – 4pm

Warri Wolves (Delta) Vs Kwara United (Kwara) – Enugu – 22/05/24 – 4pm

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Abia Warriors (Abia) Vs Sporting Supreme (FCT) – Benin City – 22/05/24 – 4pm

Nasarawa United (Nasarawa) Vs Sokoto United (Sokoto) – Kano – 22/05/24 – 4pm

FC One Rocket (Akwa Ibom) Vs Enyimba FC (Abia) – Yenagoa – 22/05/24 – 4pm

Plateau United (Plateau) Vs Sunshine Stars (Ondo) – Abuja Goal Project – 22/05/24 – 4pm 

Rivers United (Rivers) Vs Niger Tornadoes (Niger) – Auchi – 22/05/24 – 4pm

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Katsina United (Katsina) Vs Bayelsa United (Bayelsa) – Abuja Bwari – 22/05/24 – 4pm

Doma United (Gombe) Vs Kano Pillars (Kano) – Bauchi – 22/05/24 – 4pm

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South Africa plans for ‘Mother-of-all-Battle’ in final Olympic qualifier with Nigeria –

Published

4 months ago

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April 6, 2024

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South Africa plans for ‘Mother-of-all-Battle’ in final Olympic qualifier with Nigeria -

Banyana Banyana game plan was to either beat the Super Falcons at home as they did two years ago in Lagos or earn a draw in Friday’s first leg match of Olympic qualifier in Abuja.

 

That did not happen as Rasheedat Ajibade’s penalty kick earned Nigeria an outright 1-0 win over South Africa – a first win since the Super Falcons’ 1-0 win in Limbe, Cameroon in 2016.

 

But according to an account in the South African Football Association website, “Banyana Banyana will have to give it all in the second leg.”

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It reported that Banyana Banyana came back from the first half break a much more improved side but failed to convert the few chances that came their way.

 

“Outstanding goalkeeper Kaylin Swart had to work overtime to deny the hosts from extending their lead.

“Despite creating numerous chances for an equaliser, the game ended 1-0 for the Super Falcons.”

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The two African giants will lock horns for the second leg on Tuesday at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria where coach Desiree Ellis’ charges will be hoping to overturn the deficit.

 

Coach Ellis believes they are still in the game and can turn things around in the second leg on Tuesday.

“Look, we said it was going to be a tight game but we are hopeful of overturning this result in the second leg.”

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“We are still in the game. We created a couple of chances, a penalty decided the match but the game is not over.

 

“I thought in the second half we raised our game a lot and created good chances and could have equalized.

 

“Maybe we could also have gotten a penalty at the end when Jermaine was fouled but I’m very proud of the team and we will take it back to Pretoria,” said Ellis.

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Nigeria’s Super Falcons on slippery path to Paris 2024 –

Published

4 months ago

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April 5, 2024

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Nigeria’s Super Falcons on slippery path to Paris 2024 -

Nigeria’s Super Falcons beat Banyana Banyana of South Africa 1-0 in their first leg of the final qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The return leg comes up on Tuesday in Pretoria.

The South Africans consider the result a good one going into the final qualifier.

Skipper of the side, Rasheedat Ajibade scored the lone goal from a penalty spot in the 43rd minute.

It is Nigeria’s first outright defeat of South Africa since 2018 when Nigeria excelled in an ensuing penalty shootout after a goalless draw in the final match of the Africa  Cup of Nations in Ghana.

In their next two matches.

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First, they pulled off a big upset beating Nigeria 4-2 to win the Aisha Buhari Cup in Lagos in September 2021 and followed up with another 2-1 win in a Group C match at the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

 

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