The first leg ended in a goalless draw
All is at stake in the second leg of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier game between Nigeria's Super Eagles and Ghana's Black Stars at Abuja's Moshood Abiola National Stadium on Tuesday, March 29.
With the first leg ending in a goalless draw at the Baba Yara sports stadium on Friday, March 26, 2022, the Black Stars of Ghana will head into this game knowing a score draw or avoiding a defeat will see them book their ticket to Qatar for the World Cup, which will be held in November 2022.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria will be hoping for a better result at home to cheer up their supporters this time around, having failed to win any of their last two home games (against Cape Verde (1:1) and Central African Republic (0:1).
The winner of this two-legged series is guaranteed a payoff of $2 million in preparation fees and a $10 million guaranteed group stage fee. A large sum of money could aid in the resolution of many financial issues in the football sector as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The World Cup also has a history of marketing young and excellent players to the world. This competition helps players move to their dream club or a better destination to help further their careers. Ghanaian midfielder Kevin Prince Boateng and James Rodriguez are good examples of these.
But no matter what happens in the final showdown on Tuesday, the Black Stars of Ghana should be proud of themselves as there were a lot of positive signs that show that with time they will surely get back to their very best.
The team looked to have found a good pattern of play. They were tactically disciplined, very good on and off the ball, and the system of play brought out the best in players like Gideon Mensah and Baba Iddrisu. Managing to keep a clean sheet after failing to do so in the entirety of AFCON 2021 against a Nigerian team that scored six goals in four games at AFCON 2021.
Patience from supporters will be required as Otto Addo attempts to impose his style, tactics, and system on this crop of young talents we have at our disposal.