Mustapha Yakubu was the standout performer as Ghana’s Black Galaxies secured two friendly wins on Wednesday, ramping up preparations for their anticipated 2024 African Nations Championship qualifier against fierce rivals Nigeria, Soccernet.ng reports.
The team claimed victories over Great Olympics and Attram De Visser at the University of Ghana Stadium, a double-header set up to sharpen the squad ahead of next month’s two-legged showdown.
In the first match, head coach Mas-Ud Didi Dramani’s initial lineup overpowered Great Olympics with an impressive 5-2 scoreline.
Hearts of Lions’ striker Mustapha Yakubu led the attack, netting twice to showcase his goal-scoring form.
Additional contributions came from Issah Yakubu, Rahman Mohammed of Nsoatreman FC, and Asante Kotoko’s Saaka Dauda, who all added their names to the scoresheet.
The second friendly saw Ghana U20 star Jerry Afriyie capture the spotlight with a spectacular overhead kick to seal a 2-1 fine win over Attram De Visser.
Hafiz Ibrahim also found the back of the net, helping the Black Galaxies secure another morale-boosting result against the second-tier Ghanaian side.
These matches form part of Ghana’s strategy to fine-tune their squad ahead of the high-stakes qualifier against Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Super Eagles B team has just concluded a second week of intensive training for the upcoming qualifiers.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) confirmed that the 35 players involved were released to their respective NPFL clubs for weekend matches, with plans to reconvene for further preparation next week.
The two teams share a fierce footballing rivalry, with Ghana eliminating Nigeria on penalties to clinch a CHAN spot in the previous edition.
This year, the first leg is set to be held in Ghana from December 20-22, with the return leg taking place in Nigeria between December 27-29.
The winner of the tie will earn a place in CHAN 2024, scheduled to be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.