Sports

Timid Ghana vs. Tired Nigeria – Who wins today?
By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, Ghanadot

Accra, Jan 27, Ghanadot - Angola 2010 is set to play out some of its most dodgy encounters at the semi-final stage - Ghana vs. Nigeria; Algeria vs. Egypt - a mix of tradition and bitter rivalry.

For the largely youthful Black Stars, refused even a dog’s chance to make it out of the groups stage after injuries took out a good number of the tested regulars, many in Ghana are already giving them the thumbs up for reaching the semi-finals.

Expectations remain high though, and now they must play to win rather than defend their goal area, which entails opening up their game and coming at the Super Eagles, themselves somewhat disappointing so far given their potential and player quality at the team’s disposal.

Against another youthful but highly wasteful side, Zambia, Nigeria turned out very lucky to have emerged from the quarter-final encounter victorious, albeit on penalties, for they came under a siege that would usually have bundled any side out of the competition.

One can expect the Super Eagles to always psyche themselves into competition once the opposition is the Black Stars, however, it is unclear if they are ready to explode into the force they are measured to possess, especially also against a side composed of players ready to prove themselves for regular call-ups and to partake at the bigger South Africa 2010 World Cup platform.

Up north, there is the lure of age-old traditional/political rivalry when Egypt and Algeria roll out their game. Our only prayer is that the tournament is spared the typical, unproductive time-wasting strategies of North African sides when in the lead. Egypt vs Algeria is a clear dog-bite-dog case.

It looks like Ghana vs Egypt in the finals, or what do you think?

Ghanadot