Boastful Ghana Black Galaxies Storm Uyo
Three years ago, Ghana Black Galaxies forced some bitter piles down the throat of Super Eagles B team, picking the ticket to the 7th edition of the African Nations Championship. After a 2-2 over the two legs then, the Ghanaians picked the ticket by pipping the CHAN Eagles on penalties at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja.

Again, the atmosphere is tensed, this time in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, as the two teams square up today (Saturday) to decide who pick the ticket to the 8th edition of the championship, the delayed 2024 CHAN to be hosted in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from February 1 to 28, 2025.

As usual, the Ghanaians are banking on some of their past victories against Nigeria, including Black Stars’ triumph over the Super Eagles in the race to Qatar 2022 World Cup. Recall that horrible weekend at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja in 2021, when the Black Stars forced millions of football-loving Nigerians to early bed after picking the ticket to Qatar.

To the Black Galaxies, today’s encounter in Uyo will be a repeat of what their senior brothers (Black Stars) did to Nigerians in 2021. The first leg in Accra ended goalless last Sunday, and the visitors are in town, telling everyone that cares to listen that the CHAN ticket belongs to them. From coach of the Black Galaxies, Mas-Ud Didi Dramani, to the players, the message is the same.

“What is positive about our team is that these boys have been exposed to a certain level of our Ghanaian league, and this is the page we want to print out by expressing our domestic competition structure to the rest of Africa and the world,” Dramani told journalists shortly before he left Accra for Uyo.

“We dominated play in the first leg, and it was just unfortunate we couldn’t score. We have perfected everything, and I am very optimistic of getting the job done in Uyo on Saturday. We have beefed up our squad, and I believe the players can deliver the ticket for Ghana. Nigeria should forget the ticket this year,” he stated.

Another major boost for the Ghanaians ahead this tie was the victory of Black Maidens, who defeated Nigeria 5-4 on penalties after playing out a 2-2 draw on Sunday, December 22 to be crowned champions of the inaugural edition of the WAFU B U-17 Girls Cup.

However, the Ghanaians might meet a different Super Eagles B team at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, as five dropped players are likely to make the squad today.

Thirty players were initially invited to the Super Eagles B team camp and it was reduced to 22 for the final preparation while 18 players traveled to Ghana for the first leg.

According to BSNSports.com.ng, the dropped players include, Samuel Ayorinde, Badmus Gbadamosi, Kazeem Ogunleye, Megwo Sunday and Temitope Vincent have since been recalled to camp are likely to be in the squad for the crucial second leg today.