Nigeria narrowly qualified ahead of Cape Verde with a draw against the Blue Sharks at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos
By Kehinde Okeowo
Nigeria will face arch-rivals Ghana in a World Cup qualifier at the Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi on Friday, 25th March, the game which was earlier scheduled to take place at the Cape Coast Stadium was moved due to the poor state of the pitch.
Two North African referees are expected to handle the double-header, Jiyed Redouane from Morocco will be in charge of the first leg in Kumasi, while Tunisia’s Sadok Selmi will officiate the second leg at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja.
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Ranking
The Super Eagles are ranked 3rd behind Senegal and Morocco in Africa and 32nd in the world, while Ghana occupy the 11th position in Africa, and are 61st in the world, making them the second to the last of the10 countries involved in the qualifiers.
How did they qualify
Nigeria narrowly qualified ahead of Cape Verde with a draw against the fellow West African country at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos gathering a total of 13 points against the 11 points earned by the Blue Sharks.
Liberia and the Central African Republic who came 3rd and 4th respectively are the other two countries in Group C.
The Black Stars on their part, edged out South Africa who finished on the same 13 points ton goal difference in Group G, as they both won 4 games, drew 1, and lost 1. The group also comprised Ethiopia and Zimbabwe.
Players to watch out for
Ghana
Daniel Amartey
Daniel Amartey is one of the most reliable defenders in the English Premier League for Leicester City this season.
He’s been in fine form since the beginning of 2021/2022 and has become a core part of Brendan Rodgers’s first team. His experience will come in handy for the Ghanaians.
Mohammed Kudus
A central midfielder who can play as a striker, Mohammed Kudus is the definition of do-it-all. At Ajax, he is used primarily in the midfield, where he bursts forward or uses his build-up play to create chances, but with Ghana, he’s usually deployed in attack.
He’s outstanding under pressure and nearly impossible to stop when he gets going.
Kamaldeen Sulemana
There aren’t many players in world football as naturally exciting as Kamaldeen Sulemana, the 19-year-old Ghanaian winger who plays with a lot of self belief.
He boasts a devastating combination of speed and trickery. The Rennes winger will have you off your seat 24/7, and there are hopes that he could make the difference for Ghana in the playoffs.
Thomas Partey
Partey is currently in the books of Arsenal and has come good for the team recently. He was known for his brilliance while he was in Spain with Atletico Madrid.
He will undoubtedly be the main man in midfield and his experience will be vital for the Ghanaians.
Nigeria
Kelechi iheanacho
The Leicester City forward has been used as a substitute in most games this season but finished last season as his team’s top scorer.
He also won and scored the penalty that helped his club win their second-ever Community Shield.
Joe Aribo
Born in leafy Camberwell, in South London, the promise shown by Joe Aribo at Charlton has blossomed into real ability at Rangers, where the towering midfielder has emerged as a genuine goal threat from deep.
Nigeria have tended to use Aribo as a central midfielder but hasn’t shied away from playing him further forwards, allowing him to focus purely on goals instead of all the dirty work that comes in the deeper role. He will be key in the Eagles’ midfield in the absence of Iwobi and Ndidi.
Victor Osimhen
Arguably, Victor Osimhen is one of the most talented players on the African continent today. He started the 2021/2022 season on fire but was forced out of contention by a head injury.
Osimhen moved to Napoli for a club-record fee of €70 million potentially rising to €80 million with add-ons. So far, he is one of Napoli’s best players and he also contributed majorly to the club’s current position on the league table.
Moses Simon
He was Nigerias’ revelation of the 2021 AFCON tournament, Simon had shown little of his Nantes form during the long tenure of previous head coach Gernot Rohr, often appearing to play within himself and take conservative options rather than push into the final third and attempt to provoke panic in the opposition defence.
But Simon was a force to reckon with under interim head coach Augustine Eguavoen, dazzling down the left flank and flummoxing full-backs during the Super Eagles’ glowing group stage campaign.
World Cup History
Nigeria, after their sixth appearance, will be seeking to extend their record, while the Black Stars of Ghana, who have been at the World Cup three times, will have a fourth appearance in their sights.
Super Eagles debuted in 1994, with the most recent appearance being in 2018. They also represented Africa in the World Cup in 1998, 2002, 2010, 2014. The Black Stars on the other hand made their debut in 2006 with their most recent being in 2014.
Favourite
Nigeria is currently ranked higher than Ghana and they are arguably the team with the in-form players. They are expected to progress over the two encounters.
However, since form goes into the air in a derby, Ghana will want to prove the bookmakers wrong by piping Nigeria to the ticket.