Izuchukwu OkosiThree-time African champions Nigeria will face perennial West African rivals Ghana in the second semifinals of the 2025 Unity Cup Wednesday night, reports Prime Business Africa.
The game tonight kicks off at 7.45pm Nigerian time and will be a revenge mission for the team coached by Eric Chelles.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe Black Galaxies of Ghana eliminated Nigeria’s Super Eagles when they faced off in the qualification campaign ahead of the 2023 edition.
The Unity Cup tournament began on Tuesday with Jamaica beating Trinidad and Tobago 3-2 in a pulsating encounter at the GTech Community Stadium in London.
The tournament which enhanced cultural ties between African and Caribbean nations was last held in 2004.
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This year’s edition has been endorsed by the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA).
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 2024, 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 trashing 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.
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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.
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, was scheduled to arrive on Tuesday night and might not feature having not trained with the team.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
