International Football
Points of interest ahead of Nigeria-Ghana World Cup play-off
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
To be or not to be? To qualify or to drop out. These are the posers hanging over the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Black Stars of Ghana as they go head-on collision to decide which of the two goes to the World Cup finals in November.
Both countries have 71 years of intense rivalry. Yet, none of the past 59 matches holds greater importance than this Tuesday’s match. It decides which team goes to the World Cup.
Yet, this is not the only World Cup fixture that ever pitched the two. But this is the only one in which both sides have almost equal chances of picking the ticket. A goalless draw will see the match going into penalties.
A score draw gives the advantage to Ghana. It is a win that Nigeria need to be at Qatar 2022. As usual, Sports Village Square takes an in-depth look at the match and comes out with the following points of interest.
- This is Super Eagles’ 112th match in the history of FIFA World Cup series. Only Morocco who go for their 120th game when they host DR Congo on Tuesday have more qualifying matches than Nigeria in the African series of the World Cup qualification. Like Nigeria, Tunisia who host Mali will also be going for their 112th match. As for Ghana Black Stars, the Abuja match marks their 90th World Cup qualifying duel.
- This match is Super Eagles’ first competitive appearance at the Abuja stadium in 11 years. The last time the Super Eagles played there was on 8 October 2011 when they drew 2-2 with Guinea in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
- Nigeria has never lost a World Cup match at the Abuja stadium after beating Rwanda 2-0 and Algeria 1-0 in 2004; Zimbabwe 5-1 in 2005; South Africa 2-0. Equatorial Guinea 2-0, Sierra Leone 4-1 all in 2008; Kenya 3-0, Tunisia 2-2 and Mozambique 1-0 all in 2009.
- The last time the Black Stars played a World Cup qualifying match in Nigeria, they lost 3-0 and the Super Eagles qualified. That was in the edition of 20 years ago. Will history repeat itself?
- The first goal of an international match at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja was scored by a Ghanaian. He is Patrick Agyemany who opened scoring in an eventual 3-1 defeat of Ghana by Nigeria on 30 May 2003.
- Nigeria had picked qualifying tickets at home on four occasions. Those were for the editions of France ‘98, Korea/Japan 2002, Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018. The other two instances – USA’94 and South Africa 2010 were achieved away from home. Ghana on the other hand had picked qualifying ticket away from home twice when they beat Cape Verde 4-0 in Praia to qualify for the first time in 2006 and Cairo when they lost 1-2 to Egypt but qualified on 7-3 aggregate for Brazil 2014. The qualification for South Africa 2010 was achieved at their ‘sacred’ Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi after a 2-2 draw with Mali.
- Both Nigeria and Ghana had their debut World Cup qualifying ties facing each other on 28 August 1960.
- They last crossed each other’s path in the 2002 World Cup qualification.
- Nigeria’s legendary goalkeeper, Emmanuel Okala had his baptism in World Cup qualifying series when Nigeria faced Ghana on 10 February 1973.
International Football
Former Brazil coach Tite taking break to take care of mental, physical health
Former Brazil coach Tite said he is taking an indefinite career break in order to take care of his mental and physical health.
The 63-year-old, who led Brazil to the 2019 Copa America title, was hospitalised due to a heart issue last August. He was sacked by Flamengo the following month and had most recently been linked with the Corinthians job.
“I realised that there are times when you have to understand that, as a human being, I can be vulnerable and admitting that will certainly make me stronger,” Tite said in a statement posted on his son Matheus Bachi’s Instagram on Tuesday.
“I’m passionate about what I do and I’ll continue to be so, but after talking to my family and observing the signals my body was giving off, I decided that the best thing to do now is to take a break from my career to look after myself for as long as it takes.
“As has become public, there was a conversation in progress with Corinthians, but it will have to be paralysed by a difficult but necessary decision.”
Tite, who stepped down as Brazil coach after their quarter-final exit from the 2022 World Cup, has previously coached a string of Brazilian sides including Gremio, Atletico Mineiro and Palmeiras.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Brazil have sacked head coach Dorival Jr, the country’s football confederation (CBF) said on Friday after the five-time world champions were thrashed 4-1 away to fierce rivals Argentina in a humiliating qualifying loss in Buenos Aires.
The 62-year-old was appointed in January 2024 after the team spent a year under two caretaker coaches as the Brazilian FA were unable to lure Italian Carlo Ancelotti from Real Madrid.
“The Brazilian Football Confederation informs that coach Dorival Jr is no longer in charge of the Brazilian national team,” the confederation said in a statement.
“The management thanks (Dorival) and wishes him success in continuing his career … the CBF will work to find his replacement,” it added.
Dorival was handed the job after his success with Flamengo in 2022 where he won the Copa Libertadores and Brazilian Cup, a trophy he lifted again the next year with Sao Paulo.
However, he never seemed to get to grips with the national team job and failed to earn the trust of Brazil’s demanding fans after winning only seven of his 16 games in charge.
Sources told Reuters the CBF was not confident in Dorival’s work, considering there had been little to no progress since a lacklustre Copa America campaign when Brazil were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Uruguay last year.
Still, the CBF was willing to wait and see until the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay in June to reassess the situation following the end of the European season and the Club World Cup in the U.S. in June and July.
But after Brazil slumped to their heaviest-ever loss in a qualifier when they were thrashed by Argentina this week, CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues decided to pull the trigger.
IDEAL CANDIDATE
Sources told Reuters Ancelotti was still the ideal candidate but he is under contract with Real until July 2026 and there is no indication he would leave the European and Spanish champions.
Brazilian media have reported that Al Hilal’s Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus is the favourite to replace Dorival.
Brazil have been in unfamiliar territory for over two years since crashing out of the 2022 World Cup against Croatia on penalties in the quarter-finals, a heartbreaking elimination that led to the exit of long-time manager Tite.
Their humbling defeat in Buenos Aires was the latest of a series of negative records Brazil have set under caretakers Ramon Menezes and Fernando Diniz and with Dorival in charge. They had never conceded four goals in a World Cup qualifier.
Brazil are in the midst of their worst-ever World Cup qualifying campaign. They are fourth in the South American standings with 21 points, a point above sixth-placed Colombia who currently occupy the final direct qualifying berth.
Never have Brazil lost so many games, conceded so many goals or set so many negative records in the qualifying competition. They have lost five of their 14 games and conceded 16 goals.
Brazil’s 1-0 defeat by Argentina in the Maracana late in 2023 was their first-ever qualifying loss on home soil.
They also lost to Colombia for the first time, saw the end of their unbeaten run against Uruguay stretching back over two decades and were defeated by Morocco and Senegal, having never previously lost to an African nation.
-Reuters
Follow the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
International Football
England’s German manager Tuchel will not sing the English anthem in his first game
England manager Thomas Tuchel said he would have to “earn the right” to sing the national anthem, God Save the King, after announcing his 26-man squad on Friday ahead of the team’s World Cup qualifiers.
Tuchel, who was appointed as Gareth Southgate’s successor in October and named his first squad to face Albania and Latvia this month, said he would not sing the anthem in his first games in charge.
“It means a lot to me, I can assure you, but I can feel that because it is so meaningful and it is so emotional and it is so powerful, the national anthem, that I have to earn my right to sing it,” the 51-year-old German told a news conference.
Former caretaker manager Lee Carsley was criticised last year for not singing the anthem during his tenure.
However, Tuchel added that while he is proud to be in charge of the team and knows the words to the anthem, he plans to earn the right with results.
“Maybe I have to dive more into the culture and earn my right from you, from the players, from the supporters, so everyone feels like ‘he should sing it now, he’s one of our own, he’s the English manager, he should sing it’,” he said.
-Reuters
Follow the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
- WOMEN'S FOOTBALL1 week ago
Naira rain falls on Nigeria’s Flamingos after a 4-0 defeat of Algeria
- Nigerian Football4 days ago
Financial rainfall awaits Nigeria’s Flamingos for every goal scored in Algeria
- OBITUARY6 days ago
NFF mourns the demise of former FIFA referee, Bosede Momoh
- U-17 AFCON1 week ago
Morocco crowned CAF U-17 AFCON champions after dramatic penalty shootout win over Mali
- U-20 FOOTBALL1 week ago
Nigeria begin CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations title chase with Tunisian clash
- Nigerian Football1 week ago
Remo Stars maintain ‘7Up’ lead over Rivers United
- feature6 days ago
Ghana’s Cardinal, Appiah Turkson, listed as a possible Pope
- Nigerian Football4 days ago
Former WAFU President, Ogufere mourns Christian Chukwu