Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Ghana’s Black Stars, fierce West African rivals, will face off in a highly anticipated semi-final match at the Unity Cup Invitational Tournament on Wednesday at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium. This clash, steeped in a 74-year rivalry, promises to be a thrilling encounter of cultural and sporting significance.
The three-time African champions, Nigeria, and four-time champions, Ghana, have a storied history, with Ghana holding a slight edge but both sides feeling the sting of defeat like a global conflict. Nigeria’s last victory over Ghana came in March 2024, a 2-1 friendly win in Marrakech, Morocco, courtesy of goals from Cyriel Dessers and Ademola Lookman, ending an 18-year drought against their rivals. The Super Eagles’ previous win was in 2006, when Taye Taiwo’s free-kick secured a 1-0 victory at the Africa Cup of Nations in Port Said.
Ghana, however, boasts the biggest win in the rivalry—a 7-0 rout of Nigeria in a 1955 Jalco Cup match in Accra—and eliminated Nigeria from the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers on away goals. They also triumphed 4-1 in their only prior meeting at Brentford in 2007.
Nigeria has had its moments of glory, notably a 3-0 thrashing of Ghana in 2002 to qualify for the World Cup and knocking out the Cup holders in the 1984 Africa Cup of Nations.
Head Coach Eric Chelle has assembled a dynamic Super Eagles squad, blending home-based and overseas talent. Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali is expected to start, with defenders like Semi Ajayi, Felix Agu, and Sodiq Ismaila in contention.
The midfield could feature Frank Onyeka, Wilfred Ndidi, or Papa Daniel Mustapha, while attackers Ahmed Musa, Kelechi Iheanacho, and Samuel Chukwueze are among the options. Belgium Pro League top scorer Tolu Arokodare may miss out, having arrived late and not trained with the team.
As both teams vie for supremacy in west London, the match is set to reignite one of African football’s fiercest rivalries, with pride and bragging rights on the line.