The final qualifying fixture in the race to next year’s African Nations Championship between the Black Galaxies of Ghana and the Super Eagles of Nigeria ended goalless on Sunday, www.aclsports.com reports.
The two West African rivals battled all through the duration of the game in the first leg of the qualifiers played at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Expectedly, Ghana’s Black Galaxies dominated the first period with a couple of opportunities, but they found the Super Eagles’ defence led by Ifeabyi Onyebuchi difficult to penetrate.
In the 15th minute, Stephen Amankwoo found a way through the Eagles’ defence, but his effort went high and wide of goalkeeper Henry Ozoemena’s goal-post.
The Eagles, led by Daniel Ogunmodede, relied on set-pieces to trouble the hosts as Junior Nduka sent his effort wide in first-half stoppage time.
After the break, Waliu Ojetoye came on to replace Sodiq Ismail, while Papa Daniel was introduced in place of the anonymous Anas Yusuf.
Minutes into the second stanza, Papa Daniel saw his long-range effort helped by a deflection come off the woodwork. The Eagles barely threatened from that moment on and did well to prevent the hosts from grabbing a goal/win.
It is the first time that the CHAN Eagles will be keeping a clean sheet in Ghana following 3-2 and 2-0 defeats in their past visits.
Both teams will now look forward to the second leg of the fixture, set for the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Saturday, with the winner on aggregate to represent WAFU B at the biennial championship reserved exclusively for professional footballers plying their trade in their country’s domestic leagues.
The eighth edition of the African Nations Championship will be hosted by Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, 1st – 28th February 2025.
