Preview: Ghana-Nigeria

Ghana and Nigeria will lock horns in an international friendly match in London on Tuesday in a game that should help prepare both teams for the finals of the 2008 African Nations Cup.

With both sides being tough rivals in West Africa, the match is expected to be breathtaking, something that is just more than saying ‘a friendly match.’

Ghana will be hosting the 2008 Nations Cup and have automatically qualified as hosts. They are using a couple of friendly matches to keep the team as a unit and build on their impressive form ahead of 2008.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria on the other hand currently top the Nations Cup qualifying Group 3 with six points after maintaining a hundred percent record in their first two games.

They will use the friendly against Ghana’s Black Stars to prepare for their upcoming qualifying fixture against Uganda in March.

Many people who follow both teams are aware of the fact that whenever they both meet, the atmosphere is most times electric. Both sides have talented and well-known players, and going by the current form of both sides, many just can’t wait to see the outcomes when they meet on Tuesday.

Ghana’s impressive run last year saw them make a first appearance in the World Cup finals in Germany, where they became the only African team to reach the second round.

Following their World Cup exit, the team, guided by Frenchman Claude Le Roy, have played four friendly matches and they are yet to concede defeat.

In August last year, the Black Stars beat Togo 2-0 at London’s Griffin Park. Two months later, they played friendly matches against Japan and South Korea where they won 1-0 and 3-1, respectively, before securing a 1-1 draw with Australia in November.

Looking at the record between the Ghana and Nigeria, the Black Stars have not beaten Nigeria since the semi-finals of the African Nations Cup in 1992.

Both teams met again during the African Nations Cup in Egypt last, where Nigeria had the upper hand defeating Ghana 1-0 during the group stage.

Ghana

Black Stars coach Claude Le Roy has handed first time called-ups to Spartak Moscow forward Quincy Owusu-Abeyie and Club Brugge’s Ibrahim Salou. There is doubt as to whether Owusu-Abeyie will honor the invitation, having represented Holland at U-20 level.

Striker Isaac Boakye, who was sidelined during the last year’s World Cup has been named in the squad while Joe Tex Frimpong will make a return for the first time in a year.

Former Bayern Munich defender Sammy Kuffour is a key name that is excluded from the squad.

Three key forwards on Nigeria’s squad are England-based players

Nwankwo Kanu, Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Obafemi Martins. A surprise recall into the squad is Greece-based Ifeanyi Udeze, who missed the 2006 African Nations Cup in Egypt.

The Super Eagles will however be missing Chelsea prodigy Obi Mikel, who has been sidelined for two weeks with a thigh injury.

Nigeria had recently appointed German Berti Vogts as coach of the team. Though Austin Eguavoen, who has been in charge of the team since 2005, selected the 21-man squad for Tuesday's friendly match, Vogts will also use this opportunity to meet with many of the players he will be working with in the upcoming months.

Squads:

Sammy Adjei (Mohadon Sports Ashdod, Israel), Richard Kingson (BB Ankaraspor, Turkey)

Defenders: Hans Adu Sarpie (VFL Wolfsburg, Germany), John Paintsil (West Ham, England), Francis Dickoh (FC Utrecht, Holland), Habib Mohammed (Molde FK, Norway), Shilla Illiasu (Saturn FC, Russia) and John Mensah (Rennes, France)

Midfielders: Stephen Appiah (Fenerbache, Turkey), Michael Essien (Chelsea, England), Laryea Kingson (Hearts, Scotland) Sulley Ali Muntari (Udinese, Italy), Haminu Draman (Genclerbirligi, Turkey), Eric Addo (PSV Eindhoven, Holland)

Forwards: Junior Agogo (Nottingham Forest, England), Joe Tex Frimpong (CS Sfaxien, Tunisia) Asamoah Gyan (Locomitiv Moscow, Russia) Ibrahim Salou (Club Brugge, Holland) Quincy Owusu Abeyie (Spartak Moscow, Russia) and Isaac Boakye (VFL Wolfsburg, Germany).

Nigeria: Vincent Enyeama (Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv, Israel), Austin Ejide (Bastia, France)

Defenders: Joseph Enakarhire (Bordeaux, France), Chidi Odiah (CSKA Moscow, Russia), Taye Taiwoo (Marseille, France), Joseph Yobo (Everton, England), Ifeanyi Udeze (AEK Athens, Greece), Obinna Nwaneri (Esperance, Tunisia)

Midfielders: Yusuf Ayila (Dinamo Kyiv, Ukraine), Christian Obodo (Udinese, Italy), Wilson Oruma (Marseille, France) Peter Odemwingie (Lille, France), Patrick Ovie (Dinamo Moscow, Russia)

Strikers: Nwankwo Kanu (Portsmouth, England), Stephen Makinwa (Lazio, Italy), Obafemi Martins (Newcastle, England),Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Middlesbrough, England) John Utaka (Stade Rennes, France), Seyi George Olofinjana (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England

No doubt, this match with be highly contested with both sides taking no chances at all. Ghana will be going out to maintain their post World Cup record of not losing any friendly match while Nigeria will be looking forward to maintain the winning form they have enjoyed so far in the qualifiers for the 2008 African Nations Cup. Both teams should happily settle for a 2-2 draw.