Unity Cup: Super Eagles Beat Black Stars of Ghana 2-1, to Defend Title Against Reggae Boys of Jamaica
By Eniola Olatunji
…Ghana to meet Trinidad & Tobago in Losers Final.
Unity Cup defending Champions, Super Eagles of Nigeria on Wednesday at the Gtech Community Stadium in Brantford, UK, that has a capacity of 17,500 fans established supremacy over arch-rivals, Black Stars of Ghana in Male senior football with a 2-1 win.
Yesterday, 27th May, the Reggae Boys beat Trinidad and Tobago 3-2. The loser of this 2nd match Ghana, will play Trinidad on 31st May for the 3rd place match at 12:30pm before the final match same day between Nigeria and the Reggae Boys of Jamaica.
Rangers of Scotland Centre forward, Cyriel Kolawole Desser got the curtain raiser in the 14th minute with an assist from Remo Stars of Ikenne Defender, Sodiq Isail who later got a yellow; Semi Ajayi’s freekick confused Ghana’s Midfielder, Razak Simpson who headed in an own goal in the 19th minute for Nigeria’s 2nd goal.
Ghana pulled a goal back at the 70th minute through Thomas Asante who got an assist from substitute player Ebenezer Annan.
Ghana played better than Nigeria but were unlucky to win the day judging from the stats. Ghana had 7-5 shots at goal; 4-1 shots on target though she had 47-34 dangerous attacks form a 62-70 recorded attacks and Ghna wasted 6-3 corner kicks advantage after dominating the match with 58-42% possession.
Established players like Jordan Ayew of Ghana did not shine in the match. Prolific Editor, Folu Olamiti of Nigeria complained to me about the low performance of Ahmed Musa and Ihenacho. Ihenacho celebrated what he thought was a 3rd goal for Nigeria scored by him only to be ruled offside. Both Nigerian players were substitutes.
Nigeria and Ghana are super powers in African football who have met severally. Their last five matches were Nigeria with two wins and Ghana with two wins then we saw a draw.
On 28th August 2022 at Cape Coast Stadium Ghana won an African Nations Championship duel 2-0; in the return leg played in Abuja, Ghana won via penalties 5-4 after it ended 2-2; on 22nd March 2024 Nigeria won a friendly match at Marakesh in Morocco 2-1: on 22nd December 2024 at Accra Sports Stadium both sides played goalless in an ANC 1st leg match before Nigeria nipped Ghana 3-1 in the 2nd leg played at Uyo.
Nigeria won the 1st edition of the Unity cup in UK 20th May to 2nd June 2004 and Nigeria’s Bartholomew Ogbeche was the highest scorer of the four Nation tournament with three goals.
Ogbeche scored a double against Ireland and Martins made it 3-0; Nigeria stopped the music of the Reggae Boys of Jamaica with a 2-0 win where Utaka and Ogbeche scored. Ireland beat Jamaica by a lone goal to clinch the 2nd place.