Three-time African champions Nigeria and four-time champions Ghana will bring alive the Unity Cup Invitational Tournament in London on Wednesday when both regional rivals clash in the second semi-final of a tournament of immense cultural and sporting relevance.
Both teams bring a number of critical elements into the encounter taking place at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium, including a 74-year rivalry in which Ghana have smiled more than Nigeria, but either team has felt like they lost a World War 3 whenever results did not go their way.
Until March last year, when they won a friendly match against the Black Stars 2-1 in the Moroccan city of Marrakech, thanks to goals from Cyriel Dessers and Ademola Lookman, the Super Eagles had not beaten their West African foes in 18 years. That was when Taye Taiwo’s shot from a free-kick outside the box condemned the Black Stars to defeat in a group phase encounter in Port Said, at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Black Stars won the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification pitching both teams together, on the away goal rule, and retain the bragging rights of the biggest win in their clashes – a 7-0 spanking of then Red Devils in a Jalco Cup match in Accra on 30th October 1955. Ghana also won the two teams’ only previous clash at Brentford, running away 4-1 victors in a friendly encounter on 6th February 2007.
However, the Super Eagles have equally had their day in the sun, such as the 3-0 thrashing of the Black Stars in Port Harcourt to earn passage to the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals, and eliminating the Cup holders from the 1984 Africa Cup of Nations.
Wednesday’s clash in west London is another opportunity for the Super Eagles to prove their mettle, with Head Coach Eric Chelle having called an interesting blend of home-based talent and boys based overseas.
Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali is expected to be in goal, with Semi Ajayi, Felix Agu, Sodiq Ismaila, Igoh Ogbu, Bruno Onyemaechi, Junior Nduka, Ifeanyi Onyebuchi and Waliu Ojetoye available for slots in the defence, and Frank Onyeka, Wilfred Ndidi, Papa Daniel Mustapha, Saviour Isaac and Collins Ogwueze tugging for the midfield shirts. Christantus Uche was yet to arrive in the team’s Doubletree By Hilton Ealing abode as at Tuesday evening.
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Ahmed Musa, Simon Moses, Kelechi Iheanacho, Nathan Tella, Cyriel Dessers, Samuel Chukwueze, Sikiru Alimi and Adamu Abubakar are available for Coach Eric Chelle in the fore-line, as Tolu Arokodare, who a few days ago clinched Belgium Pro League’s top scorer award, arrived last night and might not feature having not trained with the team.
NIGERIA vs. GHANA: HEAD-TO-HEAD
20 0ct 195: (Jalco Cup): Nigeria 5-0 Ghana
11 Oct 1953: (Jalco Cup): Ghana 1-0 Nigeria
30 Oct 1954: (Jalco Cup): Nigeria 3-0 Ghana
30 Oct 1955: (Jalco Cup): Ghana 7-0 Nigeria
27 Oct 1956: (Jalco Cup): Nigeria 3-0 Ghana
27 Oct 1957: (Jalco Cup): Ghana 3-3 Nigeria
25 Oct 1958: (Jalco Cup): Nigeria 3-2 Ghana
10 Oct 1959: (Olympics Qualifier): Nigeria 3-1 Ghana
26 Oct 1959: (Olympics Qualifier): Ghana 4-1 Nigeria
22 Nov 1959: (Jalco Cup): Ghana 5-2 Nigeria
28 Aug 1960: (WC Qualifier): Ghana 4-1 Nigeria
10 Sep 1960: (WC Qualifier): Nigeria 2-2 Ghana
9 Oct 1960: (Nkrumah Cup): Nigeria 0-3 Ghana
29 Oct 1960: (Zik Cup): Nigeria 1-1 Ghana
8 Apr 1961: (AFCON Qualifier): Nigeria 0-0 Ghana
30 Apr 196: (AFCON Qualifier): Ghana 2-2 Nigeria
17 Dec 1961: (Friendly): Ghana 5-1 Nigeria
10 Nov 1962: (Friendly): Nigeria 0-0 Ghana
23 Feb 1963: (Nkrumah Cup); Ghana 5-0 Nigeria
30 Oct 1965: (Zik Cup): Nigeria 0-4 Ghana
7 Nov 1965: (Zik Cup): Ghana 3-0 Nigeria
23 Jan 1967: (Zik Cup): Nigeria 2-2 Ghana
12 Feb 1967: (Zik Cup): Ghana 2-0 Nigeria
22 Oct 1967: (Zik Cup): Ghana 2-1 Nigeria
23 Dec 1967: (Zik Cup): Nigeria 2-2 Ghana
10 May 1969:: (WC Qualifier): Nigeria 2-1 Ghana
18 May 1969: (WC Qualifier): Ghana 1-1 Nigeria
8 Jan 1973: (All-Africa Games): Nigeria 4-2 Ghana
10 Feb 1973: (WC Qualifier): Nigeria 2-3 Ghana*
*Abandoned, match awarded 2-0 to Ghana
25 Feb 1973: (WC Qualifier): Ghana 0-0 Nigeria
11 Aug 1974: (Festival): Nigeria 1-0 Ghana
17 Aug 1974: (Festival): Nigeria 0-1 Ghana
24 Aug 1975: (Festival): Ghana 1-2 Nigeria
30 Aug 1975: (Festival): Ghana 3-0 Nigeria
Sep 1977: (Ecowas Cup): Nigeria 2-1 Ghana
8 Mar 1978: (AFCON): Ghana 1-1 Nigeria
21 July 1978: (All-Africa Games): Ghana 0-0 Nigeria
1 May 1983: (ECA Anniversary): Ghana 1-0 Nigeria
15 Oct 1983: (Olympics Qualifier): Nigeria 0-0 Ghana
30 Oct 1983: (Olympics Qualifier): Ghana 1-2 Nigeria
5 Mar 1984: (AFCON): Ghana 1-2 Nigeria
27 July 1986: (Friendly): Ghana 2-0 Nigeria
2 Sep 1990: (AFCON Qualifier): Ghana 1-0 Nigeria
13 Apr 1991: (AFCON Qualifier): Nigeria 0-0 Ghana
23 Jan 1992: (AFCON): Ghana 2-1Nigeria
9 Mar 1994: (Friendly): Nigeria 0-0 Ghana
28 Aug 1999: (Friendly): Nigeria 0-0 Ghana
11 Mar 200: (WC Qualifier): Ghana 0-0 Nigeria
29 July 2001: (WC Qualifier): Nigeria 3-0 Ghana
3 Feb 2002: (AFCON): Ghana 0-1 Nigeria
15 Dec 2002: (Friendly): Ghana 0-1 Nigeria
30 May 2003: (LG Cup): Nigeria 3-1 Ghana
23 Jan 2006: (AFCON): Ghana 0-1 Nigeria
6 Feb 2007: (Friendly): Ghana 4-1 Nigeria
3 Feb 2008: (AFCON): Ghana 2-1 Nigeria
28 Jan 2010: (AFCON): Ghana 1-0 Nigeria
11 Oct 2011: (Friendly): Ghana 0-0 Nigeria
25 Mar 2022: (WC Qualifier): Ghana 0-0 Nigeria
29 Mar 2022: (WC Qualifier): Nigeria 1-1 Ghana
23 Mar 2024: (Friendly): Ghana 1-2 Nigeria