Ghana and Nigeria will faceoff this Friday in the first leg of their double-legged 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers playoff.
Venue: Baba Yara Stadium (Kumasi)
Key Statistics
Ghana are unbeaten in their last four WCQ games (W3, D1).
They have won their last three WCQ games at home, scoring five goals and conceding just one.
Nigeria have lost just one of their seven games in all competitions (W5, D1).
The visitors have kept four clean sheets from their last seven games.
Head to head
There have been 56 previous meetings between Ghana and Nigeria. The home nation have won 25 of those games while the visitors have won 12. There have been 19 draws between the two teams.
Latest performances in all competitions
Ghana: L-D-L-L-W
Nigeria: L-W-W-W-D
Ghana
Two African powerhouses Ghana and Nigeria go head to head in the first of their two-legged playoff tie at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Friday as the race for a place in Qatar kicks on.
Ghana endured an underwhelming campaign at the Africa Cup of Nations, where they suffered a shock group-stage exit after picking up just one point from three games in Group C.
Having lost 1-0 against Morocco in their opening game, the Black Stars played out a 1-1 draw with Gabon in their second outing before suffering a disappointing 3-2 defeat at the hands of debutants Comoros in the group finale.
They will now look to quickly put that poor run behind them as they turn their sights to the World Cup qualifying playoffs, where they have been drawn against West African rivals Nigeria after narrowly clinching first place in Group G of the qualifiers.
Having picked up 10 points from their opening five games, Otto Addo’s men needed all three points in their final group game against South Africa on November 14 to progress to the next phase of the qualifiers.
Former Swansea City man Andre Ayew was calm under pressure as he converted his 33rd-minute penalty to send Ghana top of the group, leapfrogging the Bafana Bafana on goal difference, and into the playoffs.
Possible Ghana starting line-up
Joseph Wolacott; Gideon Mensah, Daniel Amartey, Alexander Djiku, Andy Yiadom; Thomas Partey, Mubarak Wakaso; Joseph Paintsil, Mohamed Kudus, Christopher Antwi-Adjei; Jordan Ayew.
Injured: None
Suspended: Andre Ayew
Nigeria
Nigeria went unbeaten in all but one of their six games in the World Cup qualifiers, picking up four wins and one draw to collect 13 points to finish top of Group C, two points above runners-up Cape Verde.
The Super Eagles’ only defeat came at the hands of Central African Republic back in October when Karl Namnganda scored a 90th-minute winner to hand the visitors a shock victory.
Nigeria head into Friday’s game fresh off the back of a last-16 exit from the Africa Cup of Nations after they suffered a 1-0 loss against Tunisia courtesy of Youssef Msakni’s solitary strike.
Prior to that defeat, Augustine Eguavoen’s side were on a six-game unbeaten run, claiming one draw and five wins, including three in their three AFCON group-stage games.
While Nigeria will be looking to quickly return to winning ways, next up is an opposing side who they have failed to defeat in each of the most recent four meetings between the sides, losing three and claiming one draw since a 1-0 victory back in 2006.
Possible Nigeria starting line-up
Francis Uzoho; Zaidu Sanusi, William Troost-Ekong, Kenneth Omeruo, Ola Aina; Leon Balogun, Joe Aribo; Moses Simon, Kelechi Iheanacho, Samuel Chukwueze; Victor Osimhen.
Injured: Maduka Okoye, Wilfred Ndidi
Suspended: Alex Iwobi
Prediction
Ghana 1-2 Nigeria
