The stage is set for a thrilling showdown between Nigeria and Ghana in the CHAN qualifying tie-breaker on Saturday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom’s capital city.
As tensions build, both coaches, Daniel Ogunmodede of Nigeria and Mas-Ud Didi Dramani of Ghana, have expressed unwavering confidence in their teams’ abilities.
At the pre-match press conference on Friday evening, the coaches engaged in a war of words, each attempting to assert psychological dominance.
Ghana’s coach, Dramani, remained defiant, insisting that his team created more scoring opportunities in the first leg in Accra.
He vowed that his side would not be easy prey for the Nigerian Eagles at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.
“We created far more chances and were unlucky not to score. No need crying over spilt milk. Tomorrow is an opportunity to get the goals and qualify for the CHAN,” he said.
Ogunmodede, however, remained unfazed by Ghana’s past victories over Nigeria, including their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying match.
“They may be depending on so much history and the times they have been victorious over Nigeria, especially in the CHAN, but we are blind to that.
“In camp, we are not allowing any historical talk to distract us. We are focused on achieving the win that will see us qualify for the finals,” he said.
The Nigeria coach appealed to fans to come out in large numbers to support the team, just as the Ghanaians did in the first leg.
“Our special plea is for the fans to troop out on Saturday to come and support the boys. The Ghanaians came out in large numbers to support their team in the first leg, and this imbued their players with extra energy and aggression,” he said.
With both teams determined to emerge victorious, Saturday’s match promises to be an exciting encounter.
The winner will qualify for the 8th African Nations Championship finals.
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