Nigeria's Super Eagles and Ghana's Black Stars will contend with each other this week, in a friendly in Marrakech, Morocco.
This friendly tests the health of the two teams in the immediate aftermath of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2024).
There is no shortage of quality on both sides. This game could go either way, in spite of the injury-enforced absences of headline acts Victor Osimhen (Nigeria) and Mohammed Kudus (Ghana).
Here are six potentially decisive players — three for each side — worth keeping an eye on.
Ademola Lookman (Super Eagles)
Nigeria's joint-topscorer at the AFCON with three strikes, Lookman emerged from the imposing shadow of fellow Serie A star Osimhen and thrived in front of goal.
The Atalanta man has certainly grown in stature since making his Nigeria debut this time in 2022 — incidentally against the Black Stars — and would relish the latest opportunity to further cement his place.
With 18 goal contributions already for club and country this season — two of which have come after the AFCON, including one in his last game for La Dea, in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 victory over Sporting Lisbon — Lookman is in fine fettle.
Moses Simon (Super Eagles)
Nigeria will definitely miss Osimhen, their most potent forward, but in Simon, they have a man capable of wreaking a lot of havoc too, albeit more from wider areas than in a central position as the Napoli striker would.
Simon's ability to beat a man with his pace and trickery has been highly valuable for Nigeria and Nantes, his club, and there is no understating the measure of impact the France-based attacker can have on his day.
While he doesn't score a great many goals, Simon can be relied on to do all the fine work which creates opportunities for more prolific colleagues to finish off.
Against Ghana's often unconvincing full-backs, Simon could have a lot of fun if given the licence to operate.
Wilfred Ndidi (Super Eagles)
The Leicester City midfielder missed the AFCON due to injury and is surely raring to be back on the field for the national team.
What could be expected of Ndidi, however, isn't just his usual energy and dynamism in the middle of the park.
This season has seen him become more of a threat upfront than at any previous point in his career, contributing four goals and six assists to his club's cause.
Ndidi will be keen to bring some of that firepower along for his first Nigeria outing since lacing up for a friendly against Saudi Arabia last year.
For a player who hasn't scored in over half-a-century of international appearances — with only three assists to his name — Ndidi couldn't be in better form to fix that.
Antoine Semenyo (Black Stars)
Dominic Solanke may be the toast of Bournemouth fans this season for leading the impressive season they're having — the Cherries are just one point shy of the average (36) required to stay in the Premier League, placing them on the verge of securing another season of top-flight football much earlier than they wrapped up that business last term — but another emerging fan favourite is Ghana's Semenyo.
Three of the winger's seven Premier League goals this season have come in the last three games, the latest being in the form of a brilliant brace in last week's come-from-behind home victory over Luton Town.
That rich vein of scoring form sets him up nicely for the Nigeria duel, in which England-born Semenyo will hope to put his skill-set — a fine mix of graft, flair, and a never-dying will to chase down balls — to devastating effect.
Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Black Stars)
It's been 18 months since Issahaku last started a game for Ghana, four since he last played in one — not quite as in-demand as he was when he first broke out as Africa's best U-20 footballer in 2021, barely aged 17, the very year he made the giant leap to play for the Black Stars.
However, a loan move from Sporting Lisbon, where he struggled to break into the first team, to Championship side Leicester City has brought Issahaku the fresh start he needed.
His contribution to Leicester’s finely progressing promotion charge has been outstanding, featuring all but one of his 14 goal contributions in all competitions.
That renaissance has restored him to the Black Stars’ fold, and Issahaku — who only has one Ghana goal to his name — will feel more confident about his ability to stake a firmer claim in the national team.
Making a mark against the old enemy would go a long way to help him achieve that purpose, a resounding statement on his return.
Jordan Ayew (Black Stars)
Even with Kudus out, the younger Ayew isn’t exactly the man most Ghanaians would look to as the sharpest tool in the box.
Jordan hasn't been particularly productive in his 14 years as a Black Star, and many have remarked — not always in a flattering way — that he excels at everything but scoring.
That said, Jordan has had his moments. He converted a brace of penalties in Ghana's last game, an ultimately ill-fated 2-2 draw with Mozambique at the last AFCON, and was also phenomenal in the penultimate game of Otto Addo's first tenure as head coach of the Black Stars, a 3-2 victory over South Korea at the 2022 FIFA World Cup to which he contributed an incredible shift despite not being on the score-sheet.
In Addo's first game back at the helm, Jordan will likely start and — considering his form for Crystal Palace, chipping in with two goals and an assist in the last four games — fancy his chances of leaving a mark on Finidi George's team.
Ghana dominates Nigeria in 22 friendlies: 10 victories recorded
The longstanding rivalry between the football powerhouses of West Africa has ignited passion and excitement among fans on both sides.
Each match brings anticipation and fervor as these two nations compete for regional supremacy on the football pitch.
Across 22 friendlies, Ghana emerges as the dominant force, securing victory in 10 encounters. Despite Nigeria's valiant efforts, they have only managed to claim victory three times, with nine drawn games.
As both teams gear up for the 23rd friendly, the stage is set for another chapter in this historic rivalry where pride, skill and determination will once again collide on the field of play.
While the battle for football supremacy rages on, one question remains unanswered: Who truly reigns supreme in the realm of jollof?
Perhaps the only way to settle this age-old dispute is with a cook-off of epic proportions. Until then, let the banter continue, both on and off the field, as Nigeria and Ghana keep the flames of rivalry burning, both in football and in the kitchen!
