International Football
Age-long rivalry reignited as Ghana and Nigeria clash in London
Three-time African champions Nigeria and four-time champions Ghana will bring alive the Unity Cup Invitational Tournament in London on Wednesday when both regional rivals clash in the second semi-final of a tournament of immense cultural and sporting relevance.
Both teams bring a number of critical elements into the encounter taking place at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium, including a 74-year rivalry in which Ghana have smiled more than Nigeria, but either team has felt like they lost a World War 3 whenever results did not go their way.
Until March last year, when they won a friendly match against the Black Stars 2-1 in the Moroccan city of Marrakech, thanks to goals from Cyriel Dessers and Ademola Lookman, the Super Eagles had not beaten their West African foes in 18 years. That was when Taye Taiwo’s shot from a free-kick outside the box condemned the Black Stars to defeat in a group phase encounter in Port Said, at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Black Stars won the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification pitching both teams together, on the away goal rule, and retain the bragging rights of the biggest win in their clashes – a 7-0 spanking of then Red Devils in a Jalco Cup match in Accra on 30th October 1955. Ghana also won the two teams’ only previous clash at Brentford, running away 4-1 victors in a friendly encounter on 6th February 2007.
However, the Super Eagles have equally had their day in the sun, such as the 3-0 trashing of the Black Stars in Port Harcourt to earn passage to the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals, and eliminating the Cup holders from the 1984 Africa Cup of Nations.
Wednesday’s clash in west London is another opportunity for the Super Eagles to prove their mettle, with Head Coach Eric Chelle having called an interesting blend of home-based talent and boys based overseas.
Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali is expected to be in goal, with Semi Ajayi, Felix Agu, Sodiq Ismaila, Igoh Ogbu, Bruno Onyemaechi, Junior Nduka, Ifeanyi Onyebuchi and Waliu Ojetoye available for slots in the defence, and Frank Onyeka, Wilfred Ndidi, Papa Daniel Mustapha, Saviour Isaac and Collins Ogwueze tugging for the midfield shirts. Christantus Uche was yet to arrive in the team’s Doubletree By Hilton Ealing abode as at Tuesday evening.
Ahmed Musa, Simon Moses, Kelechi Iheanacho, Nathan Tella, Cyriel Dessers, Samuel Chukwueze, Sikiru Alimi and Adamu Abubakar are available for Coach Eric Chelle in the fore-line, as Tolu Arokodare, who a few days ago clinched Belgium Pro League’s top scorer award, was scheduled to arrive on Tuesday night and might not feature having not trained with the team.
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
- 23 Mar 2024 (Friendly): Ghana 1 Nigeria 2
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Well-travelled Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte has been named as Guinea’s new coach, less than a month before their next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Duarte, 56, has twice previously coached Burkina Faso and taken charge of Gabon and Togo, while also coaching at clubs in Portugal, France, Tunisia, Angola and Saudi Arabia.
Guinea’s football federation gave no contract details when they made the announcement on Monday, but said they would be looking for Duarte to “restructure their national team”.
Guinea trail leaders Algeria by eight points in their World Cup qualifying group with four games remaining, leaving them with only a slim chance of qualification.
They play Somalia away on September 5 and then Algeria at home on September 8 in their next two qualifiers although a stadium ban means Guinea have moved their home game to Casablanca, Morocco.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Veteran coach Louis van Gaal says he has been cured of cancer and is keen for a return to the higher levels of the game.
The 73-year-old announced three years ago that he was suffering from prostate cancer, but told a Dutch television talk show, “I’m no longer bothered by cancer.”
When he announced his illness, Van Gaal was the coach of the Dutch national team, but he has not worked since the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
“Two years ago, I had a few operations. It was all bad then. But it all worked out in the end. I have check-ups every few months, and that’s going well. I’m getting fitter and fitter,” he said.
Van Gaal, whose career has included stints at Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, reiterated a lack of interest in returning to club management but said becoming the national coach of a top-tier country could tempt him back.
He now serves as a special advisor to Ajax.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
In a compelling twist of football destiny, Davide Ancelotti is stepping into his own spotlight as he begins his first head coaching role at Brazilian club Botafogo—just months after parting ways with his legendary father, Carlo Ancelotti, at Real Madrid.
The 35-year-old has been appointed as Botafogo’s new manager, the club announced on Tuesday, following the sacking of Renato Paiva. Davide, who has spent the last decade working alongside his father at some of Europe’s top clubs—including Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid—has signed a one-year deal with the Rio-based team.
This marks a significant milestone for the younger Ancelotti, whose career has long been shaped by his father’s influence, but who now faces the challenge of carving his own identity on the touchline.
The move comes shortly after both father and son departed Real Madrid at the end of last season, with Carlo taking over the Brazilian national team. Now, in a poetic alignment, father and son find themselves on different paths within Brazilian football—one leading the Seleção, the other steering the fortunes of a storied domestic club.
Botafogo’s decision to appoint Davide follows a controversial parting with Paiva, who was dismissed just days after their exit from the Club World Cup. Though he oversaw a stunning win over Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain, a 1-0 extra-time loss to Palmeiras in the round of 16 proved to be his final act after just four months in charge.
As Davide Ancelotti begins this new chapter, all eyes will be on whether the son of one of football’s most decorated managers can step out from his father’s shadow—and perhaps, in time, build a legacy of his own.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
- World Cup1 week ago
South Africa to Appeal FIFA Ruling Over Mokoena Eligibility Case
- World Cup1 week ago
FIFA Sanction on South Africa Offers Super Eagles a Lifeline — But a Lesson from History Looms
- World Cup1 week ago
Sport Minister Orders Probe into SAFA over Bafana’s Costly Points Deduction
- U20 FOOTBALL2 days ago
Flying Eagles Bank on ‘Magic of October 8’ to overcome Argentina
- World Cup6 days ago
Super Eagles Walk Tightrope as Nine Key Players Risk Suspension in World Cup Qualifiers
- World Cup7 days ago
Osimhen Returns as Chelle Names 23-Man Squad for Crucial World Cup Qualifiers
- U-20 FOOTBALL2 days ago
Nigeria, Argentina Renew Rivalry as Flying Eagles Target Quarter-Final Spot in Chile
- World Cup1 week ago
Lesotho, Nigeria’s next World Cup opponents Hail FIFA Verdict as Justice Served in Mokoena Eligibility Row