Nigeria’s home-based Super Eagles will take on eternal rivals, the Black Galaxies of Ghana, in the CHAN 2022 playoff.
Both legs in the qualifiers will take place in December 2024.
Ahead of the ties, Completesports.com’s JAMES AGBEREBI takes a look at how Nigeria has fared against Ghana in previous qualifiers.
1962 World Cup Qualifiers (First Round)
The first-ever meeting between Nigeria and Ghana in a qualifier was in the race for the 1962 FIFA World Cup in Chile.
Both teams were drawn against each other in the first round of the qualifiers, with Ghana hosting the first leg in Accra in August 1960 and winning 4-1.
The return leg was held in September 1960 in Lagos, where the Nigerian team managed only a 2-2 draw, resulting in their elimination.
1962 AFCON Qualifiers (First Round)
Nigeria and Ghana crossed paths again in a qualifier, this time competing for a ticket to the 1962 Africa Cup of Nations.
The first-leg, first-round tie took place in Lagos in April 1961 and ended 0-0, while the return leg, also held in April 1961 in Accra, finished 2-2.
The away goals rule was not applied then, so the outcome was decided by drawing lots, with Nigeria advancing to the second round of the qualifiers.
1970 World Cup Qualifiers (Second Round)
The qualification campaign for Mexico 1970 saw Nigeria and Ghana meet again, with the first-leg, second-round fixture scheduled for Lagos in May 1969.
After 90 minutes, Nigeria triumphed 2-1. The reverse fixture, also in May 1969 in Accra, ended 1-1, leading to Ghana’s exit from the qualifiers.
1974 World Cup Qualifiers (Second Round)
After advancing from the first round, Nigeria and Ghana faced off in the next round of qualifiers for the 1974 FIFA World Cup.
In the first leg in Lagos in February 1973, the Nigerian team suffered a 2-0 home defeat to their West African rivals.
The second leg took place later that month in Accra, finishing 0-0, which allowed Ghana to progress.
1992 AFCON Qualifiers (Group Stage)
The race for the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations saw Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Togo, and Benin Republic grouped together.
Ghana hosted the first-leg tie against Nigeria in September 1990 in Kumasi, winning 1-0.
In the return leg in April 1991, Ghana held Nigeria to a 0-0 draw, with Friday Ekpo missing a penalty.
Both Nigeria and Ghana qualified for the 1992 AFCON, where they met in the semi-finals, with Ghana triumphing 2-1.
2002 World Cup Qualifiers (Group Stage)
Nigeria was placed in the same group as Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Sudan in the qualifiers for the 2002 World Cup in Japan and Korea.
The first leg, hosted by Ghana in Accra in March 2001, ended 0-0.
However, in the second leg in Port Harcourt in July 2001, Nigeria thrashed Ghana 3-0 to secure their place at the 2002 World Cup.
2022 World Cup Qualifiers (Playoff)
After progressing to the playoff round, Nigeria and Ghana were drawn against each other once more.
The first leg, played in Kumasi in March 2022, ended goalless, leaving the tie to be decided in the second leg.
The second leg, held in Abuja later that March, saw the Black Stars holding their Nigerian counterparts to a 1-1 draw, allowing Ghana to qualify for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
CHAN 2022 Qualifiers (Playoff)
After preventing Nigeria from qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Ghana repeated the feat, this time in the qualifiers for the 2022 CHAN. The 2022 CHAN took place in January 2023.
The first leg, held in August 2022, saw Ghana defeating the home-based Super Eagles 2-0.
In the second leg, played in September 2022, the home-based Eagles scored two late goals to force the game to a penalty shootout, which Ghana won 5-4.
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