Drama Ahead After Scoreless Nigeria, Ghana CHAN Qualifier

The battle for a spot in the eighth African Nations Championship remains intense as Nigeria and Ghana played out a goalless draw in the first leg of their qualifying match at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday.

Ghana’s Black Galaxies dominated the first half, showing their attacking strength with several goal-scoring chances. However, Nigeria’s defence, led by Captain Nduka Junior, stood firm and prevented any goals.

One of the key moments in the game came in the 15th minute when Stephen Amankwoo broke through Nigeria’s defence but narrowly missed, sending his shot just wide of goalkeeper Henry Ozoemena’s post. Later, Nigeria’s Sikiru Alimi took a free kick that went over the crossbar, keeping the match tightly contested as both teams sought a breakthrough.

The goalless draw marked a rare achievement for Nigeria, as it is their best away result against Ghana in qualifying matches for the African Nations Championship. Previous encounters saw Nigeria lose 2-3 in 2008 and suffer a two-goal defeat in 2022.

Both teams now prepare for the decisive second leg, scheduled for Saturday, December 28, at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo. The stakes are high, as the winner on aggregate will represent the WAFU B zone in the championship, a tournament exclusively for professional footballers playing in their home leagues.

To qualify, Nigeria must win in regular time during the second leg. A goalless draw would push the game into extra time and potentially penalties, while a score draw would favor Ghana and complicate Nigeria’s chances.

The African Nations Championship will take place from February 1-28, 2025, co-hosted by Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda. Nigeria’s home-based Super Eagles, led by interim coach Daniel Ogunmodede and assisted by Fidelis Ilechukwu, are determined to qualify for the tournament after missing out for six years.

While Nigeria has not won the championship, they earned third place in 2014 and reached the final in 2018, losing to Morocco. The team is now eager to return to the competition and aim for their first title.

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