Nigeria’s Super Eagles edged 10-man Black Stars of Ghana 2-1 in an international friendly game played in Marrakech, Morocco on Friday, Completesports.com reports.
The result means the Black Stars are now winless in their last six games.
Goals from Cyriel Dessers and Ademola Lookman was enough to earn interim coach Finidi George his first win.
Crystal Palace forward Jordan Ayew got Ghana’s consolation goal.
The Black Stars played most part of the second half with 10 men after Jerome Opoku was shown a straight red card.
Former Bendel Insurance defender Benjamin Tanimu made his first appearance for the Eagles.
Also, the game saw the return of Wilfred Ndidi, who captained the side.
It was not the best of return for Otto Addo who was recently reappointed as Black Stars coach.
The first chance of the game went to the Eagles in the 3rd minute after the Black Stars keeper made a mistake.
But the keeper made amends as he stopped Kelechi Iheanacho’s goal bound strike.
In the 10th minute Iheanacho tested the keeper from the edge of the box but his effort was punched away for a corner.
The Eagles continued to create chances and almost got rewarded after Dessers outmuscled his marker but his low strike was stopped by the keeper.
Just two minutes later Iheanacho also went close but saw his volley from close range punched over the bar for a corner.
Dessers was denied again on 31 minutes by the keeper as he saw his effort, off a clever free kick from Iheanacho palmed away.
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The Eagles were eventually rewarded in the 38th minutes as Dessers sent the keeper the wrong way from the penalty spot after a Black Stars player handled the ball with his hand.
With two minutes left in the first half Antoine Semenyo has had Ghana’s first real chance but failed to keep his shot down, as it went off target.
The Black Stars came out more purposeful in the second half and almost equalized but the ball inches off the post.
In the 53rd minute Iheanacho drove towards the Black Stars box but saw how low shot go off target.
In the 56th minute the Black Stars were reduced to 10 men following a straight red card issued to Opoku.
But few moments later Ghana almost equalised but Stanley Nwabali punched a goal bound header away for a corner.
Dessers could have doubled the lead on 62 minutes only to see his strike, off a cross from Bruno Onyemaechi miss the target.
With 13 minutes left Semenyo almost drew his side level but his header from a cross went just off the target.
In the 84th minute Lookman made it 2-0 as he received a pass unmarked and slotted past the keeper.
Ayew then pulled a goal back for the Black Stars from the penalty spot on 94 minutes.
The Black Stars almost snatched a late equalizer but Nwabali made a brilliant save to stop a goal bound shot.
The Eagles will be back in action on Tuesday, 26 March when they will take on Mali in another friendly also in Marrakech.
49 Comments
10 against 11
Ghana had a red card tho
But congrats naija
Boring game
That’s because your players were highly uncultured. Harassing the referee for no just cause even when almost every call went in your favor
We didn’t harass any ref!
Nobody really knows why the Ghanaian player was red carded tho!!
Nigerian players were the physical ones and some of them should have been booked too!
Both team sucks tweaa
Where us your brother @Yaw? I thought you both boasted that Ghana will chew Nigeria like Bread, and have a psychological victory over Nigeria even before the ball is kicked?
Too much noise, living in prehistoric glory. For 42 years Ghana BZ has not won even a tea cup, yet you always like to measure Dick with Nigeria who has won Afcon expanded teams twice since 1994. Is it for nothing that FIFA rates Nigeria as the 28th best footballing Nation in the world and Ghana languishing abysmally at 61st? Know your mates like Comoros, Madagascar, Lesotho and Cape Verde, which even knocked you out of Afcon group stage in January 2024.
U played a 10 men Ghana so don’t jubilate
The game was boring and your super eagles played nothing
The soft was soft one too
Btw congratulations to Nigerians
Eq Guinea has beaten u and eliminated
Nigeria has lost to a number of minnows so stop deluding yourself mate
U won against a 10 men Ghana
Boring game you say? If Ghana had warm will you call it a boring game. Well-done boys at least we have warm after a long time.
It was boring game!
Nothing special about this game
I already congratulated NIGERIA but it was boring game and two sides sucks!
Nigeria were lucky they didn’t received any read cards too because they were very physical on the Ghanaian players!!
Even when Ghana was down by 10 men, they were the better side
Which game did u watch?
Bad loser. Bad loser. Bad loser. Did you see the missed chances in the first half and second half.
You were making noise yesterday because you won gold medal. Now it’s luck for Nigeria.
Baby way to think anyway. Good victory for super eagles. Six games without win for black stars.
I think you need to look for why your team is not winning games even against small teams.
I love Ghana. But I am concerned what their football has turned to.
Ghana football is dying.
Even with the all African games in their country where are they on the table. So bad for a country that was once a pride of Africa.
Did you see the awards last year. Where was Ghana in any category. Even this year afcon a Nigerian won the best player. No Ghana again.
Self made King and Yaw I am not saying this to spite you but it’s really that bad with your football.
Monroe won against 10 men Ghana
Maybe most of u didn’t watched the match or something
Nigeria played nothing
Again, u keep on saying u missed chances but Ghana hit your post like two or three times too!
I should have converted those chances but and since u cldnt converts them, it means nothing!
Nigeria presented the same team they used in afcon whiles Ghana tried a new set and crop of players
Btw for the past 18 years, Nigeria has never beaten Ghana in competitive match before and this friendly doesn’t change anything
Congratulations to Nigeria tho
*won
Common what are u talking about 2 goals were scored before the red card . Was that an excuse acceptvyou were beaten fair and squre .and stop this excuse of yours
Two goals wasn’t scored before the red card!
What are u talking about?
When the red card came, Nigeria was leading by desser goal!
The second goal came after the red card
All the same congrats to Nigeria tho
Congratulations to them. Didn’t get to watch the game but well done to nigeria. I heard the new coach tried some players and tactics in this game. Ghana will certainly bounce
Congratulations boys! At least we did not fall to Ghana again this time following the defeat handed to our girls yesterday.
Nigeria scored before the ghana guy manifest his foolishness that ghanaians are best known for.
Nigeria would have beat ghana blue black if Finidi had paired Desser with Lookman with Simon coming in as substitute in second half.
So why didn’t do that then?
U can’t beat Ghana blue and black and again, when Ghana started pressing then the ref red carded the Ghanaian player for no reason tho
@Selfmade,
Go and take sleeping pills. I know it pained you.
Ghana would have won this match if played in ghana as they would have used their dubious way of threatening both the opponent and officials with other evil means.
That’s why ghana can never win any cup outside ghana.
Which Dessers? Abeg that Dessers na average player. No hold up play, no ball control, easily harassed and dispossessed off the ball. I’m yet to see why people make so much noise about his inclusion. He’s also not particularly athletic, he’s slightly faster than Paul Onuachu
Finidi has a lot to offer let’s rally behind him because he will only get better.
Because he won a friendly match abi? The Ghanaians had more cohesion than the 9ja boys even though they lost. Give it time and let’s see how much he can improve them into a better unit. I have nothing against Sir Finito though.
Which game did you watch? Ghana only breathed when Ndidi was substituted. They were thoroughly outplayed in the first half.
Ghana didn’t have our midfielders too
Partey wasn’t present
Elisha owusu wasn’t present
Relax because Nigeria played nothing !
When Ghana started attacking is when we had the red card that no one even knows what happened
Osimhen wasn’t present as well. Excuses will not help matters it’s obvious that Nigeria and Ghana are similar talent wise but both nations are corrupt that is why they’re yet to win WC.
Excuse is not gona change the results , nobody instigated the ref to give red card , in fact red card is part of the game. When u won yesterday it was ok , ND today you lost, u came of with excuses, reason na, you were beaten fair and square. It’s as simple as that. It should not be something you should argue or come up with excuses except you re not been truthful
Finidi really tried, the team combined well with the exchange of passes and switching position in the midfield. This is his first game of few days of preparation remember and without the full team. And being confident enough to play offensively is a plus.
I think we should enjoy this win but also remain calm and not get carried away Nigeria always have good Coaches because ball is in our blood, but the MAJOR problem with our Coaches is that they are Nigerian and our Officials are corrupt period. Finidi is a Naija through and through and the only thing I am watching is if he allows the Noise makers from NPFL get in his head and as the coach of Enyimba FC we may see him taking the opportunity to give some of his boys a chance and as we all know no Enyimba player is currently stronger than anybody in todays line up against Ghana, and we did not even display our Strongest squad today(Due to major injuries and pull outs) so If Finidi is not sentimental he will be great however as history has shown us with All Indigenous coach they some how feel that NPFL players are of International standard which is so far from the truth at least for now until our League undergoes a major Face lift.
Unlike at the Afcon, Nigeria came out today with a strong midfield. With Ghana unable to control the midfield, the game became very difficult for them.
Never again should we go to a major tournament or play a match with an inadequate number of midfielders!
Now, we are ok in the midfield and defense departments. We also have a reliable goalie. We just need to get it right upfront, and start converting more of our chances.
When that happens, we will be in really good shape.
I still say it that we played with second string players and won what if we played with our strongest side . And FINIDI he loose next match or not shows he is technical and tactical at the same timeaàaà
With 10 men Nigeria lost to Ghana in Senegal 92 same score line. Finish might not have CAF licence A TO LEAD THE EAGLES. But I am not sure.
Iheanacho impressed today with his performance.
I also noted how unselfish he was in allowing Dessers to take that penalty.
Iheanacho had every right to take that penalty. It was his shot that resulted in the penalty. But he recognized that Dessers needed a confidence booster, and he unselfishly allowed him to take the penalty.
Now, that is proper SENIOR MAN behaviour!
Pompei you couldn’t have said it any better from your two comments.
Peseiro killed us st the last Afcon. He was scared stiff after that draw agsint EQG and forced the eagles into their shell. The 433 formation with iwobi, ndidi and frank in the midfield is the best we’ve got now. No one should bench iheanacho again, even if osimhen is fit. Collins should be sent packing from that team. Dude is such a waste of space. Kudos to the boys
I kept shouting to rooftops that Iheanacho was the missinglink in that Peseiro-negative style at the AFCON. That’s why Osimhen struggled. It’s either the passes doesn’t come to him on time or he needed to attack from midfield. Look at how Nacho was spreading deadly passes left, right and center today. In fact, I remember when Nacho was introduced against South Africa, he immediately put Moffi through one-v-one with keeper. The guy plays most of his football with his brains rather than gra-gra. The perfect combo is Osimhen and Iheanacho.
I trust Finidi sha. Him know ball wella
Finidi deployed a 3-4-2-1 system today it’s just that he was more tactically creative(maybe because of the injuries) frank and ndidi played centrally while iwobi and nacho were free eights supporting dessers
The shape changed to a 4-2-3-1 when lookman, collins, Moses and onyedika came in for dessers, Bruno, ndidi and tanimu in the 2nd half
Iheanacho moved centrally to play as a 9 while flanked by lookman and moses, iwobi played behind him which was deliberately done to exploit Ghana’s weak center which was made worse by the Red card.
An understaffed coach with 3 days to prepare a team for this match just made history by beating a team we haven’t beaten in 18 years.
This team showed some signs of promise but there’s work to be done. Mali with their 4-4-2 diamond will offer a more sterner test so lets not celebrate yet but rather lets support this team.
Selmade KING you do not know anything about football; Super Eagles played the best match in 2024 , I think it is better than final match versus Cote De Ivore ; SE pressed so mutch , played one- to – one football, excellent defence , creative in midfield by orchester Iwobi, many chances were wasted by Dessers , Iheancho , I think this match at least 4-1 if chances were exploited , KINK don’t be spiteful and grudge against SE , SE now are better than Black Jars not stars…
lol!!
If it suits u!!
10 men Ghana drilled outplayed u in the second half and u were hanging on the straws!
If there was enough time, Ghana cldve equalized!
Nigerians were gassed out during the last 15 mins and that’s when Ghana had our goal!!
U didn’t watched this match or u watched a different match!
Ghana with its new set of players were very cohesive than Nigeria
Dey there and fill!
Did Ghana start with 10 men? Haven’t you seen a 9-man team defeating an 11-man team? Cameroon did it to Spain at Sydney 2000 Olypmpics. And If your team that “outplayed” us in the second half were that good, why didn’t they defeat Nigeria gabadaya? How many chances did you even create throughout the match to start with?
Accept the fact that you lost and move on. Don’t make any excuse for your team. It’ll make you look stupid. We could come up with a whioe lot of excuse too for scoring just 2 goals and even for gifting you that penalty. But who needs that story? The coaches by now know where more work is needed to be done in their respective teams. That’s the spirit. Nigeria won’t beat Ghana forever. Neither will Ghana do the same. The most important thing is that the team who wins at any time should enjoy that moment, until the bragging right changes hands again.
With this win, and besides the fact that Finidi depended on Eguavoen’s selection, Finidi had no assistance in Morocco but still went ahead to defeat the Black Stars means he deserves being appointed SE coach on permanent basis. Recalling the fact that Peseiro with avalanche og skillful players, still struggled to beat Aftica minnows in the last Afcon..
In addition to @Trac, Peseiro also had many assistants including, i think, 3 foreigners assisting, etc and that, he was also fortunate.
Who told you Eguavoen selected the team in Morocco?
I thought I was the only who read that part lol.
Maybe he was trying to say “eguavoen vetoed the team rather than selecting the team” but still that’s an absurd and mischievous comment.
Vetoed, selected, hmm! Who selected what was ‘vetoed’before Eguavoen appointed coach Finidi?
@John-1. To be honest I think Peseiro goofed on Kelechi at the AFCON. At least from the quarter finals Kelechi should be starting or come in early in games to support Osimhen. Maybe because he was injured before the tournament. However, he said it himself that he’s 100 percent before our second group game against the host. By the quarter final stage he should’ve been more involved. Osimhen was as overworked in that tournament. That final should’ve been Iheanacho Lookman and Osimhen upfront. He was simply our best player on the pitch today along with Iwobi.
Self made King. As he dey pain them e dey sweet us.
Nigerians please let us stop the comparison between pesero and finidi. It’s unfair. Pesero did his best. We got a silver. He tried. It’s early days for finidi.
Congratulations to us yes we did it. To God be the glory.
Although I did not watch the match but saw the highlights on YouTube.
The Super Eagles is a work in progress under our own if given a chance.
This was the result of 2 to 3 days of coach Finidi.
We should not blame any player because few of the players just play more minutes at the national team.
Our second match will be better than this. More so, Dessers will play better against Mali. He has gained his confidence back. Thanks to Nacho for showing love to Dessers.
I like the way Nacho handed the ball to him and I’m glad Kolawole scored the penalty.
The new defender did well too. Beaten Ghana is not an easy task. Ghanaian team would rather die on the pitch whenever they play Nigeria.
From now on Finidi have broken the jinx against Ghana. We will continue beating the black stars just like we are beating the indomitable of Cameroon wotowoto.
As I have said before, the era of foreign coach has gone for the betterment of our football.
The only concern I’m having now is the Nigeria Football Federation. NFF is the only obstacles of our own now because NFF will not milk our own like foreign coach but can they allow our own to work freely?
However, Nwabali has come to stay. Finidi and our own should scout for two additional goalies. Super Eagles will be the fear factor soon.
We should keep supporting our Eagles under our own. We can see clearly that Paseiro and NFF have killed our football but our own will revive Eagles. Both Paseiro and Oga Rohr will see that what we are looking for in sokoto, we have it in our sokoto kę.
Those that has been clamoring for a foreign coach have to change their mind now. Those people haven’t seen anything yet.
Our own will rule the world of football with the Super Eagles soon. Well done coach Finidi. This is the way to go. Go and beat Mali. Our players are in high spirits at the moment, they can play against any big teams. Hmmm, I’m proud of you our local coach. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
@Selmade KING you go explain tire with no evidence… Abeg go hug transformer joor!
@Uncle egbubu and coholts, let’s first of all commend the boys for a job well done. I saw the game and was technically and tactically executed to our all round success.
That said, the responsibility of the Super Eagles’ job falls within the purview of the technical department of NFF headed by the Technical Adviser, Coach Eguavoen. If not for ignorance, it presupposes and not in contention that in the absence of a coach for the Nigerian national team side, the T.A takes charge. Eguavoen was tactically the man behind the boys in Morocco not taking the fact that coach Finidi needs to be applauded for his heroics, Nigeria having not beaten the B/Stars in a while.
All that aren’t issues as we can all see the defensive and attacking attributes of Eguavoen philosophy in Morocco juxetaposing that against Ghana and what the Eagles played against the Pharaohs of Egypt in the 1.0 win in Cameroon2022 Afcon.