Ghana is beatable in Ghana. The goalless draw in Ghana last week was a good result considering home field advantage.
As one of the players on Coach Adegboyega Onigbinde’s Super Eagles Los Angeles, USA, Olympics 1984 (qualifying) team, on October 30, 1983, we defeated the Black Stars,
2 – 1, in the return match in Accra, Ghana, when Chibuzor Ehilegbu and John Omohele scored a goal each. We lost to Morocco in the finals in Casablanca. Consequently, Morocco went ahead to represent African in the Olympics ‘84, otherwise, it would have been Nigeria if we had won that particular match. Back to Ghana’s match, we’d played a goalless draw two weeks earlier (October 15, 1983) in Kaduna, but—in my humble opinion—Ghana is unarguably Nigeria’s most dreaded opponent in football and will always be, bar-none. That much is evident if you grew up in my generation. Football historians will agree. May I bring to mind when the Ghanian national football team’s bus was set ablaze in 1973 after they defeated us at the national stadium, in Surulere, Lagos.
Forget that the 1984 AFCON Super Eagles team started the rivalry between Nigeria and Cameroon when we lost to them in the finals of the AFCON ‘84. I was a member of that team as well, so I speak from personal experience when I say it didn’t compare to our long-standing rivalry with Ghana.
It is also noteworthy to mention here the type of psychological warfare Ghana planned for us. Though it did not work during the aforementioned return match against them in Accra for the 1984 Los Angeles, USA Olympics qualifier, it still further exemplifies our rivalry. When our team traveled to Accra for the match, upon our arrival at the hotel, our check-in was completed and our room keys handed to us. We got inside the elevator to take us to the floors where the rooms were located, and that is when horror struck. For hours, we were stuck inside the elevator that mysteriously malfunctioned, stuck in between the floors, with half of the elevator on one floor and the other half on another floor—dangling. We were all petrified.
I was stuck inside the elevator alongside my teammates then, which I can try to recall from my faded memory of the incident: Stephen Keshi, Peter Rufai, Yisa Shofoluwe, Humphrey Edobor and the chief coach Adegboyega Onigbinde. The terror went on for hours as perspiration engulfed us. We sat there waiting in fear which shortly yielded to our confusion and anger. We were assuredly within the weight limit specified on the elevator; was it intentional? Well, you can surmise your own opinion. Speaking candidly, your guess is as good as mine.
Psychological warfare to intimidate players is not peculiar to any particular country; it is a widely used demoralization tactic to decrease players’ morale. These intimidating tactics are orchestrated by respective club officials on all levels of football in Nigeria as well. I am talking about from the grassroots to the highest level of football tournaments in Nigeria, including the national leagues. Most of the time, it starts with the supporters clubs.
Unfortunately, it is accepted in the world of football across the universe. You just have to manage it. It also helps to remember that if your opponent had use such extreme tactics to intimidate you as a player or team, you can use that insecurity to your advantage on the field. A team that must resort to those strategies to win might not be as good as they present!
Good luck team Super Eagles!! Go get ‘em!!!
Here, in the picture, the Super Eagles team’s captain, Peter Rufai, introducing Paul Okoku, Chibuzor Ehilegbu and the late Yisa Shofoluwe, to the guest of honor during the Los Angeles, USA, Olympics 1984 qualifying match (a goalless draw) against Ghana, in Kaduna, on October 15, 1983.
