It’s going down in Congo Brazzaville.
Nigeria coach Samson Siasia has boasted of a quality team capable of first beating Ghana on Wednesday and then going all the way to win gold at the 2015 All Africa Games.
The Dream Team will be playing their first match of the competition against the defending champions having sat out the opening round due to Egypt’s withdrawal.
Nigeria are however without some of their key players with the likes of Shehu Abdullahi and Godwin Savior not released by their European clubs for the games being staged in Brazzaville, Congo.
Taiwo Awoniyi has also been excused to allow him settle at his new club Liverpool.
But Siasia (below, pictured) remains confident he has a good enough team to go all the way.
“We have a team capable of winning the gold medal for Nigeria,” he said.
“It’s true we are going to miss some players but we have enough to help us do the job, we promise to do our best.”
Ghana are already on one point after drawing goalless with Senegal in the Group B opener over the weekend.
Lartey is bullish
Captain of the Black Meteors, Lawrence Lartey, is not giving a quarter .
This game comes after a poor display against Senegal in their opening fixture which ended in a goalless draw last Sunday.
Black Meteors’ quest to defend the gold medal they won last four years will be under severe scrutiny as games between Ghana and Nigeria are very difficult to predict due to their traditional rivalry.
But Lartey, who was part of the team that won gold in Mozambique, is eyeing a win.
“Everyone knows that games between Ghana and Nigeria are always difficult but we will do our best to win and qualify,” Lartey told Peace FM.
The national U-23 Skipper continued: “It was not the kind of result we expected against Senegal. But we didn’t lose, we drew so we still have a another chance.
“That is the only chance we have now, so we will do everything possible to win the game.”
Game kicks off at 1300GMT.
No jokes
Both nations have met at U-23 level four times with Nigeria claiming two victories over Ghana’s lone victory. A match has also been drawn at this stage.
Their first meeting was in July 2007 in an Olympic Games qualifier which Nigeria won 3-2 while the return leg of the qualifier was played in November 2007 and it ended in a goalless draw.
The two matches were handled by Siasisa.
The two teams have met at the AAG qualifiers before. In 2011 Nigeria defeated the Black Stars 3-1 while the return leg in July 2011 was won 2-0 by Ghana, hence denying Nigeria a chance in the 2011 AAG.
Star forward Etebor Oghenekaro has spoken ahead of the match: “We are fully prepared for the game, we are going for victory and by His grace, we will get the victory.
“Ghana are always tough against Nigeria, we are not bothered as we are ready for them. I am calling on Nigerians to support and pray for us wholeheartedly, we won’t disappoint them.”
Nigeria meanwhile won the AAG gold in 1973 as host nation.
