Ghana held by Nigeria in Kumasi
Ghana’s road to Qatar 2022 is still at tight corners with the Black Stars failing to take advantage of home support to start off the two-leg playoff with a win. Despite doing the majority of the work barring some sustained pressure from the visitors in the dying embers of the game.
Coach Otto Addo trusted Swindon Town guardsman Jojo Wollacott to man the goalposts for the Stars. He was had the tenacious Alexander Djiku and Daniel Amartey as his first line of protection with Gideon Mensah in for the absent Baba Rahman and debutant Denis Odoi marshalling things from the flanks.
Real Mallorca’s Baba Iddrisu formed a midfield trio with Thomas Partey and Kudus Mohammed to serve as the link between the attack headed by another debutant in AS Roma’s Felix Afena Gyan and supported by Jordan Ayew and Abdul Fatawu Issahaku.
The Black Stars bossed possession and created a couple of decent chances but the Super Eagles backline led by William Troost-Ekong and Leon Balogun stood firm and avoided any break of Francis Uzoho’s goal.
Amartey missed Ghana’s best chance in the game when he failed to direct a tap in towards goals at the near post. Despite several corner kicks, the Ghanaians could not convert any. Nigeria almost got lucky but for VAR which spotted a foul against them which otherwise would have been a penalty awarded against Ghana for a foul by Baba Iddrisu inside the box when Wollacott played the Spani-based midfielder into pressure.
The game ended goalless after 90 minutes ahead of the second leg in Abuja, Nigeria on Tuesday, March 29. The winner of that match will book one ticket to Qatar 2022.
