FOR the umpteenth time this year, Nigeria and Ghana will go toe-to-toe on the pitch on Sunday and this time, it’s a doubleheader which sees the Super Eagles B take on the Black Galaxies in the first leg of their CHAN 2024 qualifiers, just as the Flamingos and their U-17 counterparts vie for the inaugural WAFU B U-17 Cup.
The first leg encounter of the CHAN qualifiers is slated for the Accra Sports Stadium at 4pm Ghana time and 5pm Nigeria time while the WAFU B U-17 girls’ final will take place at the Ghana Centre of Excellence in Prampram.
After three weeks of training at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, the Super Eagles B under the guidance of stand-in head coach Daniel Ogunmodede and his Rangers International counterpart Fidelis Ilechukwu, have the task of reaching the CHAN tournament (an exclusive tournament for players plying their trade in their home countries on the continent) for the first time in six years.
Nigeria have failed to qualify for the last two editions of the tournament in 2020 and 2022, with Ghana being their stumbling block in the previous qualifiers.
On Friday, Ogunmodede released an 18-man squad from a pool of 29 players as they made the short trip to the neighbouring country for the first hurdle of the assignment.
Kano Pillars midfielder Rabiu Ali, Remo Stars trio Junior Nduka, Jide Fatokun and Sadiq Ismael, Rivers United centre-back Stephen Manyo, and the current Nigeria Premier Football League top scorer Anas Yusuf are among the home-based stars for the assignment.
Against their initial plan of pruning the squad in phases, Ogunmodede and his friend Ilechukwu, waited till the end of the training camp to select their final squad and the Remo Stars coach admitted the ‘headache’ that comes with working with some of the best legs in the Nigerian topflight.
“Selecting the final squad has been a challenging process due to the pool of talented players available. We evaluate players based on form, fitness levels, recent club performances, and tactical suitability. Positional requirements and team balance are also crucial in ensuring we have the best lineup for success,” Ogunmodede told CAF Online.
With Nigeria and Ghana’s rivalry well documented, the gaffer isn’t swayed by their opponent’s triumphs in some of the biggest contests against Nigeria, especially the 2022 World Cup qualifiers as well as the previous CHAN qualifiers when they stopped Nigeria from progressing.
“Managing the pressure and expectations surrounding such a high-stakes game against our intense rivals is a key focus. We emphasize mental fortitude, maintaining a clear focus on our game plan, and instilling confidence in the players to perform at their best. Embracing the rivalry as motivation rather than anxiety is central to our approach.
“Playing the first leg away presents a unique challenge, but securing a win would give us a psychological edge and demonstrate our resilience. It’s crucial to showcase our quality and character to set the tone for the rest of the tie.”
The second leg will be held at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on Saturday, December 28 with the winner on aggregate to pick a ticket to the eighth CHAN tournament taking place in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda from February 1-28, 2025.
Led by coach Bankole Olowookere, the Flamingos reached the final by scoring 14 goals in three matches, conceding only two, and will start with much confidence against a Ghanaian side that defeated Ivory Cost 5-0 to reach Sunday’s final as well.
The team boasts of FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup star Shakirat Moshood, who scored four in their 9-0 hammering of the Benin Republic in their first game as well as Harmony Chidi, scorer of the hat-trick in their 3-2 win over Ivory Coast.
Over the past 10 months, Nigeria have dominated Ghana at the international level, starting with the Super Eagles’ 2-1 defeat of the Black Stars in a friendly match in Marrakech, Morocco – a first win at senior level for Nigeria against the West African rivals in 18 years.
In May, Nigeria’s U-17 boys edged the Black Satellites 3-2 in the third-place match of the WAFU B U-17 Championship staged by Ghana, and in October, the Flying Eagles defeated the Black Satellites 3-1 to successfully retain their WAFU B U-20 Championship title in Lome, Togo.