Nigeria arrive Ghana for crucial World Cup qualifying match

The Super Eagles of Nigeria have arrived in Ghana ahead of their World Cup playoff first leg encounter on Friday.

The Nigeria contingent departed from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja aboard a chartered aircraft on Thursday morning.

Leicester City forward Ademola Lookman, who received his debut call-up and travelled with the team, stated that the team is under no pressure.

“It’s just another game, There is a lot of expectations for the game, we don’t have to put any pressure on ourselves but to go out and enjoy ourselves,” Lookman told newsmen in Abuja before the short trip.

Nigeria had a subpar Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon in January, when they won all their three group stage matches, beating Egypt 1-0 before accounting for Sudan and Guinea-Bissau with a 3-1 victory and a 2-0 win respectively.

However, the Austin Eguavon side failed to get past the round of 16 when they lost to Tunisia by a single goal to nil.

Ghana, on the other hand, had a campaign to forget in Cameroon as they failed to get a single victory all tournament.

Their opening game against Morocco ended in a 1-0 defeat while they were held to a 1-1 draw by Gabon before getting knocked out in the final group game by debutante Comoros who beat them 3-2.

Ghana will be without star striker and captain Andre Ayew who was red-carded in their final Africa Cup of Nations game, the same goes for Alex Iwobi. Nigeria will also miss goalkeeper Maduka Okoye.

Nigeria takes on Ghana in the twenty thousand–capacity Cape Coast Sports Stadium on Friday, with the reverse leg set for the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Tuesday.

Another World Cup qualifying fixtures on Friday in Africa, DR Congo will face Morocco, Algeria vs. Cameroon, Mali and Tunisia, plus Egypt vs. Senegal.

Written by: Daniel Ademiju Idowu