ACCRA, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- Ghana's 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification playoff match against Nigeria will be tough, football fans said here on Monday.
The comments come a few days after the draw for the African playoffs was held over the weekend, with Ghana still smarting over an embarrassing group stage exit at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) last week.
According to the fans, matches between the two countries have favored Ghana, but the recent poor performances of the Black Stars will make it difficult to get a good result against Nigeria.
"Our current players should be more well prepared," said sportswear vendor Dorothy Appiah. "Looking at how the Black Stars have been playing in recent times, I am afraid the World Cup playoffs are going to be quite tough for our country."
However, physical education teacher Eric Tordzro remained optimistic that Ghana still has a chance to win, cautioning that it would not be an easy match.
The Black Stars will host the Super Eagles of Nigeria in the first leg on March 24, before playing away in the return encounter four days later.
Out of a total of 56 matches between the two countries, Ghana has won 25 to Nigeria's 12, with 19 of the games ending in a draw.
Ghana has three FIFA World Cup appearances, most recently in 2014 in Brazil, while Nigeria has featured six times in the FIFA competition, including at the 2018 edition in Russia. ■
