The Black Galaxies stopped Nigeria from taking part in the inaugural edition of the African Nations Championship in Cote d’Ivoire in 2009 while the Black Stars denied the Super Eagles 2022 FIFA World Cup ticket in March. With another titanic battle set between Nigeria and Ghana for a ticket to the next CHAN Championship, TUNDE LIADI sounded out the Super Eagles B lads on how they are to avert another heartache as both nations clash again in the final round qualifier for Algeria 2023.
Six West African brothers in Zone B will be at daggers drawn this weekend as the race for the Algeria 2022 (but shifted to 2023) African Nations Championship Qualifiers are played in Abidjan, Lome and Cape Coast for the available three zonal tickets to the delayed CHAN championship in Algeria..
While the Super Eagles B have a date with the Black Galaxies of Ghana with the first leg fixed for the Cape Coast Stadium tomorrow as both nations are gunning for their fourth appearance in the competition that has been held six times since its launch in 2009 in Cote d’Ivoire.
Nigeria last played in the biennial competition in 2018 when Salisu Yusuf led the team in Morocco and were beaten 4-0 by the host in the final while Ghana’s last appearance was in 2014 in South Africa. The Black Galaxies got to the final of that edition before losing to Libya.
For more inclusiveness of all geographical zones in the continent, the Confederation of African Football, (CAF) decided that the qualifiers for the CHAN would be played according to its regional zones. Each zone would have either two or three teams that will qualify for the final tournament slated for January and February 2023 in Algeria.
Nigeria and Ghana have not performed to expectations in the qualifiers for CHAN despite being the leading lights in West Africa Zone B with only three appearances each.
This time, Ghana will be motivated ahead of the fixtures after they dismantled Benin Republic 4-0 in the last round of the qualifiers and have proceeded to Austria for further preparations.
They narrowly lost 2-1 to Qatar on Wednesday in one of their friendly games before they departed for Ghana for the rest of the preparations.
Nigeria on their part began training about two weeks ago and have played three hastily arranged friendly games including ties with AS Roma Academy, Abuja and Plateau United winning two and drawing one.
The head coach of the Super Eagles B, Salisu Yusuf is aware of the responsibilities, saying the CHAN Eagles will strive for a good result in Cape Coast.
“Apart from rivalry, their team is ahead of us in terms of match fitness but I still believe that we have the boys that can fight and get positive results over there,” Yusuf said.”They have played some games in the qualifiers and in Europe and they have more cohesion as a team than us but I believe we can beat them.
“I have little information about them In how they play and that is why we are trying to have three patterns of play to see which can contain them of it. It depends on the situation of the game and we are ready to deploy the right tactics to get the right result. I believe in the ability of my team to get a good result,” he added.
Meanwhile, Nigeria Professional Football League highest scorer for the 2021-22, Rivers United’s Chijioke Akuneto told NationSport that the home based players are eager to justify their presence with good result in Cape Coast.
He said: “I will say I am delighted to have this type of chance. We have been training very hard and paying attention to the instructions from the technical crew. We have a good team and I believe we are going to deliver,” Akuneto told NationSport.
“I know that a lot is expected of me and the team. I am not under pressure and neither are my other colleagues too. We are going to do our best to ensure we beat Ghana to qualify for CHAN.”
Rivers United midfielder, Chiamaka Madu disclosed that the current crop of the Super Eagles B will like to write their own story.
“It will be a good experience for us if we qualify for 2023 CHAN and it will be a good way to write our own story. We are more than motivated to give our best knowing that we are making a name for ourselves and our career,” Madu, whose wife just gave birth to their first daughter, Chiagozie Madu, began in a chat.
“My wife just gave birth to our first child at the beginning of the month. It will be double blessings for me, if we are able to get a good result in Ghana. It is what we are working towards and it is what we are going to get by God’s grace supported by our hard work.
“We know that Ghana beat Benin Republic 4-0 and that they proceeded to Europe for more tune up games. We are not bothered by that. We are concentrating on our preparations. We have played three games and games have toughened us up ahead of the task ahead.”
Mohammed Zulkifilu, a striker with Plateau United is also happy to called up to the Eagles B and he has assured that the domestic league players would give the two games all they have adding that Nigerians may never forgive them if they failed in the qualifiers just like in 2020.
“I know it is an honour to be here and I can never take the opportunity for granted at all. I have ensured I put over 100 percent in training and in the friendly games that we have played,” Zulkifilu, who was in the Flying Eagles class of 2019 that attended the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Poland, stated.
“I will not like to disappoint myself and those that know me. It is the reason we have been putting all the instructions from the technical crew to good use. We are targeting a good outing in Ghana with the desire to finish off the task before our fans next weekend.”
Speaking in the same vein, Akwa United player, Adam Yakubu opined that the Super Eagles B players are eyeing a win in Ghana to make the return leg a formality.
“We are working hard to ensure we get a win in Ghana. We know it won’t come easy but we are determined to surprise them in Cape Coast,” Yakubu noted.
Meanwhile, Rivers United midfielder Morice Chukwu, acknowledged that the game will be difficult, adding they are going to give both legs of the qualifiers their best shot.
“We are preparing so well and we know that Ghana is a tough side and we are not going to respect them, we will give our best,” he said. “We are going to Ghana to pick the result, they stopped the A team from going to the World Cup and we know it is a challenge for us.
“This is our opportunity and we need to go all out because the coach has told us that we must play it as a final.
“We promise Nigerians that we are going to give them the best,” he said.
Super Eagles B journey in CHAN
2009- Lost 3-2 to Ghana in the final round of Qualifiers
2011- Eliminated 2-0 by Niger Republic in the Qualifiers
2014-Qualified. Got a Bronze medal in South Africa.
2016- Qualified. But eliminated in the Group Stage in Rwanda.
2018- Qualified. Beaten finalist by the host, Morocco.
2020- Eliminated 4-3 on aggregate by Togo in the final round of the Qualifiers.