By Noah Owusu and Michael Adama Boivi.
The Senior National Soccer Team the Black Stars will today square off the Super Eagles of Nigeria in the Second Leg of the 2022 FIFA, World Cup qualifiers at the Moshood Abiola stadium in Nigeria.
The First Leg was played at the Baba Yara sports stadium in Kumasi on Friday, 25th March 2022, ending in a goalless draw.
The match between Africa’s most populous nation and the Black Stars of Ghana will once again rekindle the football rivalry between the two countries.
With the abysmal performance of the Stars in the last AFCON, Gbcghanaonline.com delves into the euphoria around football lovers in connection with the match. The Black Stars of Ghana and the Super Eagles of Nigeria have met eight times in the FIFA World cup qualifiers since 1960.
The first encounter was played in August 1960 where the Black Stars won 4-1 on home soil, they drew 2-2 in the second leg in Nigeria. Fast forward to 2001, which was the last time the two teams met in the World Cup qualifier, the match ended in a goalless draw in the first leg. On the return leg Ghana lost three nil to the Super Eagles. As Ghana was making efforts to have a befitting stadium for the first leg of the 2022 World Cup qualifier, Nigerian fans took to social media to ”troll” Ghana.
The performance of the Black Stars in the 2021 African Cup of Nations is still fresh in the minds of Ghanaians who say they have lost confidence in the team.
“Personally I wouldn’t love Ghana to qualify for the World Cup because of the recent happenings. We are not in the best of shape and the team has not been like the other teams.. Even our current squad I think it’s going to be based on individual brilliance because they have not played themselves for a long period”.
“Nigeria will beat Ghana because if you see their performance in the Africa Cup, they have a squad, they have players. But Ghana, most of them are playing third division, fourth division, second division. Their strength they can’t face Nigeria”.
“I want Black Stars to lose this match because the downfall of Black Stars in this match will save the country’s coffers. Why am I saying this? When we went for the AFCON, we performed badly, but the money that went into it was a huge amount”.
For some other Ghanaians their loyalty to the national team is unwavering.
“For a while now Black Stars have given us no hope and we are hoping for the best outcome of the match”.
“I can’t even imagine seeing the World Cup without the Black Stars. Maybe Ghana can win a goal to nil”.
“We hope that the new Coach will bring some changes for Ghana to win”.
“The match between Ghana and Nigeria has always been a cracker regardless of being a friendly tournament or not, so this match is not going to be simple as some people might presume. I hope as a Ghanaian Ghana wins. I believe that we are going win by two goals to nil”
“It’s great for us to see Ghana going ahead, so if they have something to do they should do their homework well. As they are going on the field we are praying that Ghana will go higher”.
A time like this requires taking inspiration from skilful players who have the experience. Former Black Stars Goalkeeper Fatau Dauda says the crucial match will be a game of pride, attitude and character.
“On paper Nigeria is better than us, but Nigeria and Ghana are a game of pride, a game of attitude and character. It’s like Hearts and Kotoko when it comes to the local league we don’t play with form. We should get good results”.
Black Stars Coach Otto Addo also says Ghanaians should expect nothing but victory. The Black Stars are seeking to qualify for the fourth time to the world cup whereas the Super Eagles are looking forward to the seventh time. The stakes will undoubtedly be high and we ask who will book the ticket to Qatar 2022. Is it THE STARS OR THE EAGLEs?