By Wale Mustapha
Former Ghana Black Galaxies captain, Gladson Awako, is bracing for a tough challenge when Ghana faces Nigeria in the final qualifying series for the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
The two West African rivals will clash in a two-legged affair, with the first leg set for Sunday at the Accra Sports Stadium, followed by the second leg in Uyo next week.
Awako, who captained the Black Galaxies to secure their place in the last CHAN tournament, insists that Nigeria will be a formidable opponent this time around.
However, he has urged his fellow countrymen to raise their game to ensure a convincing result in the first leg.
“They will not find it easy like before because, last time, we managed to eliminate them in the same tournament, and this is Ghana versus Nigeria,” Awako said.
“Nigerians always feel superior—they think they are ahead of us because of their size and where they are coming from. But we always surprise them.”
He added, “I believe this group of players can achieve the same if they stay humble and listen to their coaching staff.”
The winner of the two-legged series will secure a place in the 2024 CHAN, which will be co-hosted by Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
