Ghana beat Nigeria 2-0

The VALCO academicals soccer team, whose predecessors were thumped 4-1 by their Nigerian counterparts last year, redeemed the country's image with an emphatic 2-0 win in the second leg of this year's international friendly between the two countries at the main bowl, Surulere national stadium in Lagos.

Nana Asamoah Gyan and Richard Pobee scored both goals, one in each half, against the run of play in a thrilling encounter. Tall and lanky Asamoah, younger brother of Baffour Gyan of Black Stars fame, powered the Ghanaians with an immaculate 13th minute header. The final year student of Accra Academy, who once played in the junior team of Greek first division club Panathiniakos, scaled over his markers to nod home the opener from a corner kick.

But five minutes later, he wasted a golden opportunity to increase the tally for the VALCO academicals when his penalty kick hit the upright and rolled into touch. Winger Mohammed Fatawu was brought down after he had latched unto a through ball in the penalty area and was whacked down as he attempted to score.

The Nigerians backed by their national supporters union with a non-stop music continued their earlier dominance but agile goalkeeper Abuwaldan Shamdan stood between the Nigerians and their needed equaliser. He pulled some dramatic safes in the game and had to be attended to in the 26th and 40th minutes after clashing with danger man Felix Orode.

Diminutive Frank Appiah, a final year student of Bolga Technical won the hearts of the Nigerians with his superb technical ability and his ball control in midfield. He was so efficient that the young Nigerians team became immobile in the midfield. The deft touches of Appiah, which effectively cut off the Nigerian midfield was so delightful that the Nigerians fans at the stadium shifted their loyalty in favour of the Ghanaians and occasionally booed at their own players.

Ironically, the unfriendly attitude of the Nigerian fans rather gingered their boys to mount an incessant pressure on the Ghanaians and but for a good defensive network marshalled around Aminu Mohammed, the Nigerians could have pulled level.

However, just as the pressure became so intense, the Ghanaians caught the Nigerians on a counter attack and Pobee sliced a loose ball into the net in the 87th minute after substitute John Amuzu's first time shot had been blocked. The Nigerian fans became so angry after the match that they threatened to teach Nigerian coach Emmanuel Okoh "some lessons."

Officials of Shell, Nigeria, sponsors of the competition in that country, had to plead with the fans to take it easy on the players and their handlers. The two sides drew 1-1 in the first leg in Accra last Saturday. Officials of Shell announced after the game that the company would donate a trophy to be competed for from next year.