Nigeria took on their bitter rivals Ghana yesterday in an international friendly match, with bragging rights on the line. The Super Eagles came out victorious.
The match was played at the Grande Stade de Marrakech in Morocco.
This is the first match the new interim manager Finidi George will oversee, with the Super Eagles ranked 28th in the world and the Black Stars ranked 67th.
Nigeria took the lead from a penalty kick in the 38th minute through an emphatic strike from striker Cyril Dessers. The Super Eagles doubled the lead in the 84th minute through a beautiful strike into the roof of the net from Ademola Lookman, but not before Ghana was reduced to 10 men in the 56th minute when Jerome Opoku was sent off for violent conduct.
Jordan Ayew eventually pulled one back in the 95th minute when he sent Stanley Nwabali the wrong way with his well-taken penalty, but it was too late for the Black Stars to mount a comeback.
A win here means Nigerians still have bragging rights, and of course the rivalry still continues. The debate about jollof rice lives on, but at least Ghanaians now know that on the pitch, Nigeria is superior.
Recall that in the last Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Ghana was knocked out in the group stage while Nigeria went all the way to the final, losing 2-1 to Ivory Coast to finish second place.
