Kickoff (Cape Town)
30 November 2008
Ghana came back from two goals down to beat arch rivals Nigeria 3-2 and take a slender advantage into the return leg of the African Nations Championships qualifier.
The two countries who have had many great battles on the football field sold another classic except this time the only difference was that the stadium lacked the crowd and atmosphere that are associated with Ghana, Nigeria games.
The football though was top quality with the first half producing three goals amidst some comical defending from Ghana.
Nigeria scored first through Musa Kabiru on 21 minutes with the striker taking full advantage of some poor defending from the Ghanaian back line particularly from Godfred Yeboah to bundle the first goal home.
Ghana were clearly shaken as Nigeria dominated, cutting out the supply line to danger man Eric Bekoe and bossing the midfield exchanges.
Nigeria got a second goal a minute from the end of the first half again through Kabiru who rose high to meet a cross from Henry Uche that the Ghanaian defence and goalkeeper Fatau Dauda had failed to deal with.
But Ghana responded instantly and decisively. Asante Kotoko winger Francis Coffie exchanged passes with Yaw Antwi on the edge of the box before taking one touch and then dispatching a sweet left footed effort into the roof of the net.
Nigeria went into the break a goal up but Ghana returned from that break looking like the side with the momentum and it told. Eric Bekoe was getting more and more into the game and Samuel Inkoom whose attacking threat from his right sided defensive position was getting forward more often.
On 62 minutes Coffie gave Ghana the equaliser their second half effort deserved but the goal came with massive of luck too.
Coffie played a one-two with Eric Bekoe before hitting another left footed shot. Nigeria goalkeeper Bassey Akpan looked to have it covered but the ball deflected off Suleiman Sumaila to beat him.
Ghana then went for the winning goal and a big advantage to take into the return leg with Bekoe pulled off for Kwadwo Poku. It proved to be an inspired substitution by Milovan Rajevac with Poku setting up Samuel Inkoom with a fine run and pass in the box.
Inkoom showed the calmness and composure of a world class striker to play the ball through the legs of a committed Bassey Akpan and cap a brilliant display with a brilliant goal.
Nigeria will however be favourites to go though and pile more misery on Ghana after their recent success over Ghana in the men's Olympic qualifiers, the women qualifiers and the women U-20 championships.
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