Super Eagles B stand-in coach, Daniel Ogunmodede, is confident the team has cracked Ghana’s historical edge and is ready to secure a spot at the 2024 African Nations Championship, CHAN.
The second leg of the final qualifying round is set to take place at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Saturday.
The first leg, held at the Accra Sports Stadium, ended in a tense 0-0 draw, leaving everything to play for in the return fixture.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Ogunmodede downplayed Ghana’s historical dominance over Nigeria in CHAN, emphasizing that the CHAN Eagles are fully prepared to break the cycle.
“We’ve studied Ghana’s strength and we found out that they have history on their side, and they rely on the history,” Ogunmodede said.
“So we’ve been going all around to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself tomorrow (today). We want to qualify for CHAN.”
Ghana holds an impressive track record in CHAN matchups with Nigeria, winning three of their six encounters.
These include a memorable 3-2 victory in Accra in 2008 and a commanding 2-0 win in 2022.
Even when matches ended in stalemates, Ghana emerged victorious, such as in the 2014 CHAN semi-final penalty shootout in South Africa.
The most recent encounter saw both nations tied after two legs, with Ghana progressing on penalties in Abuja after a 2-0 win each in their respective home fixtures.
However, Nigeria’s goalless draw in Accra last week represents their best-ever result on Ghanaian soil in the CHAN competition. The CHAN Eagles are determined to capitalize on that performance and make home advantage count in Uyo.
The rivalry adds extra spice to what promises to be an explosive encounter. Ghana’s Black Galaxies, still reeling from their nation’s failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, are eager to restore pride and reclaim dominance in West African football.
The CHAN tournament, which exclusively features players from domestic leagues, is set to take place from February 1 to 28, 2025, across Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda.
For Nigeria and Ghana, Saturday’s clash is not just about qualification, it’s about legacy.
