Sports
Ghana vs. Nigeria: A rivalry renewed in the 2025 Unity Cup Semifinal – Preview
The Black Stars of Ghana will lock horns with Nigeria’s Super Eagles in the semifinal of the 2025 Unity Cup at the GTech Community Stadium on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. This highly anticipated matchup is a rematch of the 2022 FIFA World Cup playoffs, where Ghana emerged victorious with a 1-1 score after a goalless draw at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.
Coach Otto Addo will lead a youthful squad, missing key players like Mohammed Kudus, Kamal Deen Sulemana, Thomas Teye Partey, and Inaki Williams. The Black Stars aim to avenge their 2-1 loss to Nigeria in March last year and progress to the final, building on their recent wins in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Chad and Madagascar.
The rivalry between Ghana and Nigeria, famously known as the “Jollof derby,” has a rich history, with 56 encounters between the two teams. Ghana leads with 22 wins, while Nigeria has 13 victories, and 21 draws. The Super Eagles have won three of their last five meetings, including the last encounter being the Championship of African Nations (CHAN) qualifier in Uyo.
Otto Addo expressed his excitement ahead of the match, acknowledging the importance of the rivalry and the potential to get fans back on track with a win. The Black Stars will feature Jordan Ayew and a mix of experienced and young players, while Nigeria will rely on talents like Wilfried Ndidi, Ahmed Musa, Kelechi Iheanacho, Simon Moses, Frank Onyeka, Stanley Nwabali and Samuel Chukwueze following the absence of Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen.
The match is scheduled for May 28, 2025, at 19:45 GMT at the GTech Community Stadium, the home ground of English Premier League side Brentford FC.
The winner will face Jamaica in the final on Saturday, May 31, 2025.
Asante Kotoko SC has announced with deep sadness the passing of its former Brands and Marketing Manager, Kweku Hammond.
In a statement released by the club, Kotoko described Hammond’s death as untimely and expressed heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones.
“Although his time with the club was brief, Kweku served with dedication, diligence, and unwavering commitment to Asante Kotoko,” the club stated. “His contributions and loyalty to the club will not be forgotten.”
Kweku Hammond served in the club’s Brands and Marketing department, where he played a role in promoting the Porcupine Warriors’ brand and engaging supporters.
The club assured that it will continue to honour his memory and legacy.
“May his soul rest in perfect peace,” the statement concluded.
Fans and members of the football fraternity have since joined the club in mourning, sharing tributes to Hammond for his professionalism and commitment during his time at club.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Captain of Ghana’s National U-15 Boys team, Abdul Aziz Issa, says the exposure gained at the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival 2026 in Azerbaijan will be vital for the development of the squad.
Ghana finished 7th out of 189 countries after an impressive campaign, winning eight of ten matches.
“I think we played well, the exposure was good for our development, and we can’t thank FIFA and the GFA enough for this amazing platform,” Issa said.
“I’m so very happy to be part of this FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival 2026 in Azerbaijan. I want to thank my colleagues for how far we have brought Ghana in this tournament.”
The captain believes the experience will prepare the group for future challenges at U-17 and U-20 level.
Ghana enjoyed an outstanding tournament, scoring 44 goals and establishing themselves among the top seven teams.
Their dominant group stage saw them score 27 goals while conceding just three. Salifu Fatawu’s side opened with a commanding 4-1 win over Uzbekistan, thrashed Myanmar 7-1, recorded emphatic 7-0 wins over Guam and the Bahamas, before rounding off the group with a 2-1 triumph over Kazakhstan.
Their pursuit of a higher finish suffered a setback in the knockout phase after elimination by Paraguay in a dramatic encounter.
The team bounced back to finish 7th, including a commanding 4-0 victory over Colombia in their final game, despite suffering a 7-1 defeat to Brazil in the Tier A Ranking Play-Offs.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
