Nigeria clinched a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Ghana in an intense international friendly held at the Stade de Marrakech. The encounter marked another chapter in the historic rivalry between the two African football powerhouses.
Right from the kickoff, the Super Eagles exhibited dominance, applying relentless pressure on the Black Stars and controlling the tempo of the game. Ghana’s goalkeeper, Lawrence Ati-Zigi, showcased his skills early on with a spectacular save to thwart Nigeria’s early scoring attempt.
The deadlock was eventually broken when Nigeria was awarded a penalty after Ghana’s defense was caught handling the ball inside the box. Cyriel Dessers calmly stepped up and converted the spot-kick, sending Nigeria into the halftime break with a deserved lead. Despite Ghana’s attempts to level the score before halftime, Antoine Semenyo missed a golden opportunity with an errant shot.
Heading into the second half, Ghana’s coach Otto Addo made tactical adjustments, switching to a five-back formation and introducing fresh legs in Tariq Lamptey and Ebenezer Annan. The changes injected renewed vigor into Ghana’s gameplay, leading to improved possession and a flurry of half-chances. However, their momentum was disrupted when Jerome Opoku was controversially shown a red card for an alleged elbow incident, a decision vehemently contested by Addo and Opoku.
Despite being reduced to 10 men, Ghana continued to battle valiantly, controlling possession and creating openings. However, Nigeria capitalized on a swift counterattack, with Ademola Lookman delivering a clinical finish to extend Nigeria’s lead.
Despite the setback, Ghana refused to concede defeat and managed to pull one back in stoppage time, courtesy of a well-taken penalty by captain Jordan Ayew. Ayew’s goal marked his third consecutive strike for Ghana, all from penalty kicks.
While disappointed with the result, Ghana can take heart from their spirited second-half performance, where players like Alidu Seidu, Ernest Nuamah, and Edmund Addo showcased resilience and determination.
With their attention now turning to the upcoming friendly against Uganda, Ghana will look to build on the positives from their display against Nigeria and continue their preparation for future challenges on the international stage.