CHAN
“We’ll be the first to overcome Ghana in CHAN, says Ogunmodede
For the seventh time, Nigeria will confront their regional rivals, Ghana in the African Nations Championship on Saturday.
The only time both teams met at the final championship in 2014, Ghana won on penalties at the semi-final clash.
When Nigeria played a goalless draw with Ghana last Sunday in Accra, it was the first time they avoided a defeat in Ghana.
They now carry the advantage to this Saturday’s potentially epic clash in Uyo.
Stand-in Head Coach Daniel Ogunmodede said that the big focus of the Super Eagles B players and officials is to attain victory that will spring Nigeria to the finals of the competition early next year.
“We are doing everything to stay focused by avoiding any distractions. Yes, we got a scoreless draw in the first leg away and now playing at home, but we are not in any way carried away. Our objective was to score an away goal in Accra but that did not happen.
“On Saturday, we will approach the game like our lives depend on it. Our watchword is getting the win that will qualify us for the African Nations Championship finals in East Africa.”
The eighth instalment of the competition reserved for footballers plying their trade in their nation’s domestic Leagues will take place across Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda from February 1st to 28th, 2025.
Nigeria defended stoutly at the Accra Sports Stadium while relying on counter-attacks. Still, it will have to launch onslaughts from the blast of the referee’s whistle at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.
Their bitter regional rivalry, Ghana’s failure to qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals and results of previous encounters in the African Nations Championship are indices that have rendered Saturday’s match a potentially-explosive affair with endless fireworks.
The Black Stars have failed to reach the 35th AFCON finals, from a group that included Sudan, Angola and Niger Republic, and the Galaxies will throw the kitchen sink at the Super Eagles B to ensure they don’t follow in that negative trend. Ghana last missed the Africa Cup of Nations in 2004.
For Nigeria, Ghana have dominated their African Nations Championship clashes, with the Eagles winning only one of six previous clashes. Three have resulted in scoreless draws. Ghana won 3-2 in Accra in 2008 and also 2-0 in Accra in 2022, and to boot, have claimed victory in even in the ones that ended in ties.
The 0-0 draw in Calabar in 2008 meant Ghana sailed through to the inaugural CHAN finals in Cote d’Ivoire on the strength of their 3-2 win in Accra two weeks earlier, and when their semi-final clash in the third instalment of the final tournament in South Africa in 2014 ended 0-0, the Galaxies prevailed 4-1 after a penalty shootout.
Ogunmodede’s charges have earned Nigeria’s best result against Ghana in the African Nations Championship on away ground, and look poised to gain victory in Uyo on Saturday.
The Confederation of African Football has selected Moroccan official Hamza El Fariq as referee for the match, with his compatriots Abdessamad Abertoune, Zakaria Bouchtaoui and Hicham Temsamani to serve as assistant 1, assistant 2 and fourth official respectively.
Prince Kai Saquee from Sierra Leone will be the commissioner while Miboti Moise from the Democratic Republic of Congo will be in the role of referee assessor.
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CHAN
Nigeria – Ghana ‘Jollof Derby ‘ headlines fierce rivalries as CHAN 2024 qualifiers reach climax
The stage is set for an electrifying weekend as the second-leg matches of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers unfold.
Topping the bill is the “Jollof Derby,” a historic clash between arch-rivals Ghana and Nigeria, with a spot in the CHAN finals at stake.
After a goalless first leg in Ghana, the Black Galaxies will head to Uyo, Nigeria, seeking to replicate their triumph over the Super Eagles B in last year’s qualifiers.
Led by coach Didi Dramani, the Ghanaians have bolstered their squad with 26 players, determined to silence the home crowd at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.
Meanwhile, Nigeria, under the guidance of Daniel Ogunmodede and Fidelis Ilechukwu, is equally resolute.
Anas Yusuf, a key forward and NPFL’s top scorer, expressed confidence, declaring, “We’re ready to deliver a victory as a New Year’s gift to Nigerians.”
Elsewhere, Cameroon will look to build on their 1-0 first-leg advantage over the Central African Republic in Bafoussam.
Coach Simplice Soh’s Indomitable Lions A’ have shown defensive grit, but the Central Africans remain hopeful of causing an upset despite a challenging away fixture.
Niger and Togo clash in Bamako after a tightly contested 1-1 draw in Lomé. While Togo grapples with key injuries in defence, coach Kader Coubadja remains optimistic, trusting his squad’s depth.
Niger, meanwhile, aims to capitalize on their home advantage in this decisive encounter.
Defending champions Senegal host Liberia in Diamniadio, seeking to solidify their qualification after a 1-1 draw in Monrovia.
Senegal has made strategic reinforcements, adding Daouda Ba and Moussa Diallo to address defensive gaps and strengthen their attack.
Other notable fixtures include Burkina Faso’s uphill battle against Cote d’Ivoire, trailing 2-0 from the first leg, and Guinea’s effort to fend off Guinea-Bissau in a regional derby.
With suspense at an all-time high, these matches promise a thrilling conclusion to the CHAN 2024 qualifying campaign.
Match Schedule (GMT):
Friday, December 27, 2024
- 16:00: Niger vs. Togo
Saturday, December 28, 2024
- 13:00 : Zambia vs. Mozambique
- 16:00 : Burkina Faso vs. Ivory Coast
- 16:00 : Cameroon vs. Central African Republic
- 16:00 : Guinea-Bissau vs. Guinea
- 16:00 : Nigeria vs. Ghana
- 16:00 : Rwanda vs. South Sudan
- 16:30 : Angola vs. Lesotho
- 17:00 : Senegal vs. Liberia
Sunday, December 29, 2024
- 12:00 : Madagascar vs. Eswatini
- 13:00 : Uganda vs. Burundi
- 14:00 : Congo vs. Equatorial Guinea
- 16:00 : DR Congo vs. Chad
- 16:00 : Mali vs. Mauritania
-CAF
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Ghana Black Galaxies are banking on the repeat of the Black Stars versus Super Eagles Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifying episode to again oust Nigeria from qualifying for the 8th edition of the African Nations Championship.
Nigeria and Ghana head to a crucial decider on Saturday in Uyo after the first leg in Accra ended goalless last Sunday.
That was similar to the 2021 episode in which Ghana eventually secured a 1-1 draw that gave them the edge in the World Cup qualification.
According to the coach of Black Galaxies, Mas-Ud Didi Dramani, the team is focusing on the return leg and will be backed by the mentality of the last 2022 World Cup play-off tournament between the Super Eagles and the Black Stars.
Dramani highlighted the positives from the first leg, emphasizing the exposure the players gained from the encounter.
“When we don’t qualify, there is still positive. What is positive about this is that these boys have been exposed to a certain level of our Ghanaian league, and this is the page we want to print out — expressing our domestic competition structure to the rest of Africa and the world,” the former Black Stars assistant coach stated.
Dramani reiterated the team’s focus on preparation, saying, “We are not even thinking about the result yet; we are just focused on how to prepare, get to Nigeria, and deliver on the pitch.”
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After missing out on the qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations holding in Morocco, Ghana is set to be a glaring absentee at the 2025 African Nations Championship after they were forced to a goalless draw in the first-leg duel by the Nigeria Super Eagles B side.
It was the first time the Ghanaian team failed to secure a win over Nigeria in the qualification duel played in Accra. The return leg will be held in Uyo on Saturday.
The failure to score in the first leg has compounded the woes of the Ghana national team as the elite squad already missed out on the more prestigious Africa Cup of Nations for the first time since their absence in Tunisia 2004.
Ghanaians are worried over possible double absence in the two continental fiestas.
However, it was in such a chaotic situation in the race to Qatar 2022 that they upstaged Nigeria in the final hurdle after a goalless outing at home.
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