After the Stalemate at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi, Ghana, on Friday, it will be Nigeria’s turn to host the second leg of this enthralling World Cup Qualifier at the Abuja National Stadium on Tuesday at 18:00GMT.
Match Preview
After Holding Ghana to a Draw in the First Leg, Can Nigeria Make Home Comforts Count to Beat the Black Stars?
On Tuesday, the Super Eagles of Nigeria will be looking to leverage home support to overcome a tough Ghanaian team in Abuja.
The 0-0 result from the first leg shows that the teams are closely matched and that the little details will decide who wins this tie.
While they miss their midfield lynchpin, Wilfred Ndidi, Aribo and Innocent did well in the first leg, and they are likely to be given the node in the second leg.
The focus of the match will be striking a balance between defense and attack to ensure that Nigeria do not start chasing the game at home against a dangerous side.
After Dominating the First Leg, Can Ghana Find the Right Balance to Beat Nigeria in Abuja?
Although dominant in the home leg in Kumasi, Ghana found it hard breaking down a solid Nigeria side.
Ghana will look solid in Nigeria and not give away easy chances for the Super Eagles to exploit. They will primarily focus on nullifying Nigeria’s strength down the wings.
They will also look to use transitions to cause the Super Eagles defense problems.
Form Guide
Nigeria
In their last six outings, the Super Eagles have won three times, drawn twice, and lost once.
The loss came in the 1-0 defeat to Tunisia, resulting in their elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations at the round-of-16 stage.
Ghana
The Black Stars of Ghana have won once, drawn twice, and lost three times in their last six matches. This highlights their horrible showing at their Africa Cup of Nations, in which they exited at the group stage.
Possible Starting Lineups
Nigeria
Uzoho; Z. Sanusi, L. Balogun, W. Troost-Ekong, O. Aina; J. Aribo, B. Innocent; S. Chukwueze, K. Iheanacho, M. Simon; V. Osimhen
Ghana
Wollacott; D. Odoi, D. Amartey, A. Djiku, G. Mensah; M. Kudus, I. Baba, Thomas, A. F. Isshaku, F. Afena-Gyan, J. Ayew
Players to Watch
V. Osimhen
The Napoli forward has been impressive for his Scudetto-chasing side in the Serie A, who currently sit second on the table, three points behind league leaders AC Milan.
With the first leg having ended in a barren stalemate in Ghana, the Super Eagles will be looking to Osimhen’s inspiration in the attacking areas to create dangerous situations or grab a goal to break the deadlock.
With the support of the tricky Chukwueze, the robust Iheanacho, and Simon, Osimhen has the right ingredients to replicate the form he has shown this season for Napoli and help Nigeria qualify for Qatar 2022.
Osimhen will be pivotal for the Super Eagles as they seek to overcome their bitter rivals in the West African Derby, with a place at the World Cup in Qatar later this year at stake.
Thomas
The Arsenal midfield powerhouse has gradually addressed the fitness issues that plagued his early days at Arsenal. In their fight for top-four and with Champions League participation next season, he is increasingly becoming a midfield lynchpin for the Gunners.
For Ghana, Thomas has been a mainstay and crucial in their performances. He provides solidity with his hard-tackling and all-action style in the middle of the pack. He showed his essential in the first leg of this tie, where he helped keep Nigeria quiet for long stretches of the match.
Thomas will be crucial for Ghana as they travel to Abuja to face a determined Nigeria with the advantage of the home crowd. Ghana will focus on winning the midfield battle before winning the game; Thomas will be important in this respect.
Prediction
Nigeria will be expected to approach this match with all guns blazing, especially with the home crowd supporting them. They will dominate the ball and pin Ghana back at the beginning of the game.
However, the Black Stars of Ghana have the solidity to absorb the pressure, grow into the game, and start causing problems for the Super Eagles defense.
A draw is the favored result for this match, with extra time and penalties required to separate these two teams and decide who gets to participate in the World Cup in Qatar in November.
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