Super Eagles To Face Black Stars In Friendly

Lagos - Restive Lagos spectators will have the rare privilege of ascertaining the true superior team in the West African sub-region when Super Eagles cross swords with Black Stars of Ghana in a proposed friendly tentatively fixed for the National Stadium in August.

The match is meant to serve as preparatory to next year's African Cup of Nations for both countries. Nigeria and Ghana had earlier been exempted from playing in the Nations Cup qualifiers, a status the two countries enjoyed by virtue of the joint hosting rights granted them by the Confederation of African football (CAF). An impeccable NFA source confided in P.M.Sport that agreement has been sealed between the NFA and the Alhaji Ibrahim Jawara-led Ghana Football Association on the proposed friendly. "Certainly, we shall play them in August, and anytime we confirm the actual date, we would inform you."

The cracker between the two countries who are perennial rivals will determine the long tussle for superiority between the two leading West African countries. Though both countries last met in a friendly in Lagos in 1994, the match ended goaless. And since Ghana beat Nigeria in the semi final of the 1992 African Cup of Nations in Senegal, they both have not met in a competitive match. Three other top matches are planned for Nigeria in September. They are the friendlies against Brazil, Mexico, and Jamaica.