Ghana’s Black Stars and Nigeria’s Super Eagles have won seven Africa Cup of Nations titles. 11 years ago, Nigeria won their last of three titles.
Fans in Africa’s most populous country consider Afcon victories a birthright, therefore that’s a victory in another lifetime. It seems like an eternity since Ghana won their fourth title in Libya in 1982.
Ghanaians miss the 1960s and 1970s Afcon, when they dominated African football.
Anthony Yeboah, a two-time Bundesliga golden boot winner with Eintracht Frankfurt and Hamburg, says Ghana’s failure to win an Afcon championship is a tremendous disappointment.
Yeboah told the Guardian, “When you become a successful footballer and there are one or two things you do not achieve, there will surely be regret.”
Teamwork is crucial. You can’t succeed with individual players and poor collaboration. This was our issue.”
The new Black Stars, led by André and Jordan Ayew, his two kids, are recreating the 1990s generation, which included Abedi Pele.
Chris Hughton struggled to explain to millions of irate Ghanaians after their 2-1 tournament opener loss to Cape Verde on Sunday.
“We can’t concede the type of goal we did in the last minutes of the game, especially at that stage, because we were pushing for the winner,” Hughton said.
Our start was disappointing because we conceded a terrible goal.” An angry Ghanaian fan nearly attacked the former Newcastle and Brighton manager at their team hotel.
Hughton faces Egypt, the seven-time Afcon winners, on Thursday in a potentially crucial encounter after four wins in 11 matches since taking over Ghana last February.
After Ghana’s first-round loss in Cameroon, a recurrence of that awful performance will be disastrous.
“There was a lot of confidence that Hughton would significantly improve the team, but none of that has happened,” Ghanaian football specialist Mike Oti Adjei remarked.
I think he won’t continue in charge in Ivory Coast. He and the Ghana FA have had a tumultuous relationship, and I suspect they will part ways.
Ghana has only won one of their last 10 Afcon games, losing to Comoros and Cape Verde. I doubt the team can win Egypt without complete improvement.
Nigeria’s Portuguese coach, José Peseiro, is also struggling with the three-time winners. Two 1-1 draws against Lesotho and Zimbabwe in 2026 World Cup qualification did not help his reputation with a critical Nigerian public.
“I trust the players. Before the event, Peseiro noted each side has better players in certain spots. “My job is to balance defense and midfield.”
Nigerians who have demanded Peseiro’s dismissal for six months were furious after Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Equatorial Guinea.
“The present Super Eagles are not strong in two major areas of the field – the midfield and goalkeeping,” observed 1980 Afcon winner and former Nigeria captain Segun Odegbami.
“The team’s strength can’t be changed without a few players with special skills. Creative, aggressive midfielders who can hold and distribute the ball are scarce.”
Victor Osimhen, the team’s star striker and reigning African footballer of the year, has been frustrated by the lack of a creative midfield and the critical service it provides.
On Sunday, his profligacy in front of goal contributed to Nigeria’s inability to win. “We played well against Equatorial Guinea, but I don’t know why we didn’t score,” Peseiro added.
We had six, seven, eight game chances. Scoring is an issue we must fix.”
Osimhen and the Super Eagles must find the tactical elixir to end their goal drought in Thursday’s must-win encounter against the hosts, who will be supported by a packed house at Ebimpé.
For Peseiro, supernatural intervention is welcome. “Sometimes God gives, sometimes God takes,” he added. We hope God blesses Nigeria in the next match.
