The Super Eagles secured the ‘Jollof Derby’ bragging rights with a 2-1 victory over the Black Stars on Friday evening at the Grand de Stade Marrakech in Marrakech, Morocco.

Playing their first game since the 2023 AFCON final, the Nigeria national team displayed a strong performance against Ghana.

The match began with a scrappy affair, lacking rhythm or fluency from either side. However, Nigeria gradually increased their work rate, applying high pressure on Ghana and earning a penalty for a handball inside the box after 34 minutes of play. Cyriel Dessers calmly converted the penalty, deceiving goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi and giving Nigeria a 1-0 lead, which they maintained until halftime.

In the second half, Ghana showed greater purpose and threat in their attacking play. However, their momentum suffered a setback in the 56th minute when defender Jerome Opoku received a red card, leaving spectators puzzled as the reason for his dismissal was unclear.

Despite being a player down, Ghana continued to push for an equalizer, but their efforts were thwarted when Ademola Lookman scored Nigeria’s second goal in the 84th minute.

In the dying moments of the game, Ghana managed to pull one back with a goal four minutes into stoppage time as Jordan Ayew calmly converted from the penalty spot. However, the match ended 2-1 in favor of the Super Eagles.

Although facing defeat, the Ghanaian players deserve commendation for their resilience and determination, resulting in a late goal during the closing minutes of the match.

Bright Osayi-Samuel’s late foul resulted in Ghana scoring a goal, denying Nigeria a clean-sheet victory over their rivals, a situation that could have been avoided.

The Super Eagles are scheduled to play Mali in their upcoming friendly on Tuesday, March 26th, while Ghana will face Uganda on the same day.

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During the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, Nigeria’s Super Eagles and their eternal rivals, the Black Stars of Ghana, will both be accommodated at the 5-star Pullman Hotel in Abidjan.

In Group A, the Super Eagles, led by Jose Peseiro, will compete against hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau. The team’s initial two matches against Equatorial Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire will take place at the Alassane Quattara Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan. The final group-stage encounter against Guinea-Bissau is scheduled for the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan.

The Super Eagles are set to arrive in Abidjan for AFCON 2023 on Wednesday, January 10.

Ghana’s Black Stars, drawn in Group B with Egypt, Cape Verde, and Mozambique, will play their group matches at the Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan, under the guidance of coach Chris Hughton.

The shared accommodation at the Pullman Hotel adds an extra layer of anticipation to the historic rivalry between the two footballing nations.

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In the most recent FIFA rankings, which were released ahead of the World Cup, the Super Eagles dropped two places. Senegal maintains the top spot, while Ghana’s Black Stars have fallen in the rankings.

Going into the competition, which will be held in Qatar later this year, West Africa has the lowest ranking. The ranking has Ghana at number 62, which is its lowest position before the competition.

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In the ranking, Senegal is the highest-ranked African country, followed by Morocco in second place. Algeria, Nigeria, and Tunisia round out the top five nations in Africa, respectively.

Brazil continues to be ranked first in the world, followed by Belgium in second, France in third, and England in fourth. The top ten teams in the world rankings are completed by Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Portugal, and Denmark.

Brazil stay on top heading to Qatar 🌍​🏆 pic.twitter.com/qDoJvkX9MG

— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 6, 2022

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