Both Coaches Daniel Ogunmodede and Mas-Ud Didi Dramani
of Nigeria and Ghana respectively, have stiffened their muscles further on the
sticks as they beat the drums harder ahead of Saturday’s 8th African
Nations Championship qualifying tie-breaker in Uyo.
At the pre-match press conference on Friday evening,
Dramani insisted his boys created the greater chances in the first leg in Accra
and will not be sitting ducks for the Eagles to peck relentlessly 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. It is not going to be easy as there is never
any clash between Nigeria and Ghana that can be easy.
“The Super Eagles team is a good one and we have to
take our game to another level. We will play an attacking game. Football is
about scoring; even when you’re consciously soaking up pressure, you’re still
looking to go on the counter and score. Our objective is to qualify for the
final tournament.”
Ghana stopped Nigeria from reaching the 2009 and 2023
finals, in Cote d’Ivoire and Algeria respectively, and also defeated Nigeria
after a penalty shootout when a semi-final clash at the 3rd African
Nations Championship in South Africa in 2014 ended scoreless.
In addition, the Black Stars barred the Super Eagles
from reaching the 2022 FIFA World Cup finals, despite a scoreless finish in the
first leg in Kumasi. In Abuja, Thomas Partey scored before a William Ekong
penalty evened the scoreline, but the result was enough to spring the Stars to
the final tournament in Qatar at the expense of the Eagles.
However, Coach Ogunmodede insisted it is a new day and
a new setting when both senior home-based professionals battle it out in
south-south Nigeria on Saturday evening.
“They (Ghana) 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.
“We are prepared physically, mentally and
psychologically for this match. 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.”
PHOTO: The Super Eagles B before their training
session in Uyo on Friday evening.
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