With 42 days to the rekindling of the biggest rivalry in African football, the jollof derby, in the 2025 Unity Cup, max.com.gh will be taking back in time through a series of classic encounters between Ghana and Nigeria.
Today, join me in my Doctor Who “Tardis” as I journey all the way back to July 29, 2001, Port Harcourt in Lagos State, as the Black Stars took on the Super Eagles in an intimidating atmosphere at the Liberation Stadium.
Head coach of Ghana, the late great Fred Osam Duodu lined up James Nanor (GK), Kofi Amoako (RB), Yaw Owusu (CB), Mohammed Gargo (CB), Princeton Owusu-Ansah (CB), Emmanuel Kuffuor (RW), Robert Owusu Ansah (CM), Hamza Mohammed (CM), Charles Taylor (LW), Isaac Owusu (CF), and Isaac Boakye (CF).
While Shaibu Amodu, the beloved Nigerian coach of blessed memory, presented Ike Shorunmu (GK), Joseph Yobo (CB), Taribo West (LCB), Ifeanyi Udeze (RCB), Justice Christopher (RM), Sunday Oliseh (CM), Jay-Jay Okocha (CM), Tijani Babangida (LM), Finidi George (RW), Victor Agali (LW), and Nwankwo Kano (CF).
Ahead of the blast of the whistle for kick-off, I remembered vividly how each and every Ghanaian watching the game on the state television station struggled to get themselves together as the pre-game jitters of the Black Stars on TV were evident.
Fans at the Liberation Stadium did not have to wait long to enter into a frenzy mode as Victor Agali headed Nigeria into the lead with just a minute into the game.
Tijani Babangida! The name that comes to my mind whenever I hear of the Super Eagles. A deadly finisher and a bona fied menace for the Ghanaian defenders.
No one in that era can ever forget the brace he fired past Nanor in the Black Stars, who had to be replaced by Daniel Osei Boateng five minutes before halftime.
That defeat condemned Ghana to a fourth-place finish in Group B of the 2002 Japan-Korea FIFA World Cup on 11 points, behind Nigeria (1st), Liberia (2nd), Sudan (3rd), and ahead of Sierra Leone (5th).
