Without a doubt, some serious fireworks are expected on Friday (today) as Ghana host their arch-rivals Nigeria in one of the most anticipated matches of the first leg of the 2022 World Cup playoffs in Kumasi.
This is as data obtained by The PUNCH via CAF website showed that Ghana have the head-to-head advantage having won 25 of their 56 previous clashes with 19 ending in draws.
The Super Eagles won 12 games of their previous encounters against the Black Stars. The first encounter was on October 20, 1951, which Nigeria won 5-0.
The last time both teams were involved in a FIFA World Cup qualifying fixture was in 2001, with both seeking a spot at the Korea/Japan 2002 finals. The opening leg at the Accra Sports Stadium was stalemated 0-0, before Nigeria won the return 3-0 inside the Liberation Stadium in Port Harcourt on July 29, 2001.
Their last meeting, in a friendly match that was staged in London on October 11, 2011, ended 0-0.
Nigeria vs Ghana at Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi starts at 7.30 pm today, with the reverse leg set for the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Tuesday, March 29, from 6pm.
The winner over two legs will earn one of Africa’s five tickets to the 22nd FIFA World Cup finals, scheduled for November 14 to December 18 this year in Qatar.
NIGERIA vs GHANA IN HISTORY
20 0ct 1951 (Jalco Cup): Nigeria 5 Ghana 0
11 Oct 1953 (Jalco Cup): Ghana 1 Nigeria 0
30 Oct 1954 (Jalco Cup): Nigeria 3 Ghana 0
30 Oct 1955 (Jalco Cup): Ghana 7 Nigeria 0
27 Oct 1956 (Jalco Cup): Nigeria 3 Ghana 0
27 Oct 1957 (Jalco Cup): Ghana 3 Nigeria 3
25 Oct 1958 (Jalco Cup): Nigeria 3 Ghana 2
10 Oct 1959 (Olympics Qualifier): Nigeria 3 Ghana 1
26 Oct 1959 (Olympics Qualifier): Ghana 4 Nigeria 1
22 Nov 1959 (Jalco Cup): Ghana 5 Nigeria 2
28 Aug 1960 (WC Qualifier): Ghana 4 Nigeria 1
10 Sep 1960 (WC Qualifier): Nigeria 2 Ghana 2
9 Oct 1960 (Nkrumah Cup): Nigeria 0 Ghana 3
29 Oct 1960 (Zik Cup): Nigeria 1 Ghana 1
8 Apr 1961 (AFCON Qualifier): Nigeria 0 Ghana 0
30 Apr 1961 (AFCON Qualifier): Ghana 2 Nigeria 2
17 Dec 1961 (Friendly): Ghana 5 Nigeria 1
10 Nov 1962 (Friendly): Nigeria 0 Ghana 0
23 Feb 1963 (Nkrumah Cup); Ghana 5 Nigeria 0
30 Oct 1965 (Zik Cup): Nigeria 0 Ghana 4
7 Nov 1965 (Zik Cup): Ghana 3 Nigeria 0
23 Jan 1967 (Zik Cup): Nigeria 2 Ghana 2
12 Feb 1967 (Zik Cup): Ghana 2 Nigeria 0
22 Oct 1967 (Zik Cup): Ghana 2 Nigeria 1
23 Dec 1967 (Zik Cup): Nigeria 2 Ghana 2
10 May 1969 (WC Qualifier): Nigeria 2 Ghana 1
18 May 1969 (WC Qualifier): Ghana 1 Nigeria 1
8 Jan 1973 (All-Africa Games): Nigeria 4 Ghana 2
10 Feb 1973 (WC Qualifier): Nigeria 2 Ghana 3 – abandoned, match awarded 2-0 to Ghana
25 Feb 1973 (WC Qualifier): Ghana 0 Nigeria 0
11 Aug 1974 (Festival): Nigeria 1 Ghana 0
17 Aug 1974 (Festival): Nigeria 0 Ghana 1
24 Aug 1975 (Festival): Ghana 1 Nigeria 2
30 Aug 1975 (Festival): Ghana 3 Nigeria 0
4 Sep 1977 (Ecowas Cup): Nigeria 2 Ghana 1
8 Mar 1978 (AFCON): Ghana 1 Nigeria 1
21 July 1978 (All-Africa Games): Ghana 0 Nigeria 0
1 May 1983 (ECA Anniversary): Ghana 1 Nigeria 0
15 Oct 1983 (Olympics Qualifier): Nigeria 0 Ghana 0
30 Oct 1983 (Olympics Qualifier): Ghana 1 Nigeria 2
