In a thrilling encounter dubbed the ‘Jollof Derby,’ the Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles, secured a 2-1 triumph over their Ghanaian counterparts, the Black Stars, in a highly anticipated match on Friday evening.
The match unfolded with a tense and scrappy start, marked by a lack of rhythm or fluidity from both sides. However, Nigeria gradually elevated their performance, exerting high pressure on Ghana and capitalizing on an opportunity to break the deadlock. After 34 minutes of play, Nigeria was awarded a penalty for a handball inside the box, and Cyriel Dessers stepped up to convert with composure, deceiving Ghanaian goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi and giving Nigeria a 1-0 lead, a score they maintained until halftime.
As the second half commenced, Ghana emerged with renewed purpose and attacking threat. However, their momentum suffered a setback in the 56th minute when defender Jerome Opoku received a red card, leaving spectators puzzled about the reason for his dismissal.
Undeterred by being a player down, Ghana persisted in their quest for an equalizer. Yet, their efforts were thwarted when Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman found the back of the net in the 84th minute, extending Nigeria’s lead to 2-0.
In the dying moments of the game, Ghana managed to claw back a goal, with Jordan Ayew calmly converting from the penalty spot four minutes into stoppage time. However, it was not enough to alter the outcome as the match concluded with a 2-1 victory in favor of the Super Eagles.
Despite facing defeat, Ghana’s players displayed commendable resilience and determination, culminating in a late goal during the dying minutes of the match.
However, Nigeria’s victory was marred by a late foul from Bright Osayi-Samuel, resulting in Ghana scoring a goal and denying Nigeria a clean-sheet victory over their rivals, a situation that could have been avoided.
Looking ahead, the Super Eagles are scheduled to face Mali in their upcoming friendly on Tuesday, March 26th. Meanwhile, Ghana will take on Uganda on the same day.