Road To Qatar 2022 World Cup

NIGERIA vs. GHANA: Qatar 2022 Triggers Rivalry Between The Two Giants of African Football

Nigeria and Ghana have developed a strong rivalry over a variety of issues, including music (whose jollof is the best in the world), tourism, and the arts, but football is by far the most intense rivalry between the two most powerful countries in West Africa.

And the two continental heavyweights will renew their rivalry in the 2022 FIFA World Cup play-offs, with Ghana hosting the first leg and Nigeria hosting the second, both matches taking place between March 24th and March 29th.

While there are reports of unofficial matches between national teams dating back to 1938, these contests were not official. The Jalco Cup, a competition sponsored by the Ford Motor Company through a subsidiary, Joe Allen & Company (J.Allen & Co.), was established in 1951. It is often considered to be the start of the rivalry’s historical record. With the exception of 1952, the cup was contested every year between the two countries.

Nigeria Versus Ghana Head to Head

Nigeria has won 16 of the 57 previous meetings between the two countries in their 71-year football rivalry, with another 18 tied, while Ghana has won 23. Both countries have competed in World Cup qualifying matches for the finals in 1962, 1970, 1974, and 2002, with equal success.

While the Super Eagles will be hoping to defeat the Black Stars and secure an African record-tying seventh participation in the FIFA World Cup final, the Ghanaians will be hoping to qualify for their fourth appearance and first since the 2014 edition in Brazil.

With a 4-1 triumph in Accra and a 2-2 draw in Lagos, Ghana clinched a place in the 1962 FIFA World Cup. Nigeria triumphed 2-1 in Lagos in the race for Mexico 1970, with the reverse leg ending 1-1 in Accra. Ghana was granted a 2-0 win in the 1974 finals in Germany for the first leg, which was abandoned in Lagos, with both teams drawing 0-0 in the return leg in Accra.

Both teams battled to a 0-0 stalemate in Accra in the campaign for Korea/Japan 2002, with the Eagles winning the rematch 3-0 in Port Harcourt.

Veteran Pundits View on The Encounter

Any game between Nigeria and Ghana, according to renowned sports journalist Segun Adenuga, is always a challenge. The octogenarian, nicknamed “West Coast” by his contemporaries because of his passion for Ghanaian football, has witnessed numerous skirmishes between the neighbors and is currently writing a book about the history of football in Ghana.

Adenuga recalls a few memorable Nigeria-Ghana matches, including one in 1958 at the King George V Stadium in Onikan, Lagos, in which the Red Devils (as Nigeria was then known) defeated the Gold Coast team 3-2 despite efforts by the match-day referee, Reverend Massey, to turn the game in the visitors’ favor.

Adenuga recalls another famous encounter in which Nigeria was thrashed 7-0 in Accra in 1955.

Meanwhile, Ghana Football Association (GFA) Executive Council Member Frederick Acheampong is optimistic about Ghana’s chances of defeating Nigeria in the final round of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

“Everyone expects Nigeria to breeze through the process. In a recent interview, Fred Acheampong stated, “Nigeria will beat Ghana, but the World Cup is a different ball game entirely.”

“I recall what occurred in 2006.” Ghana failed to qualify for the AFCON, but we travelled to Germany to represent Africa. Football is a game that is full of unknowns. Anything is possible, but I believe Ghana will qualify,” the former AshantiGold CEO stated confidently.

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