“Not really a friendly” – Ghana fire Nigeria warning as ex-Dortmund star seeks first win over Super Eagles

Ghana head coach Otto Addo has downplayed any notion that Wednesday's meeting with Nigeria is a friendly, insisting the stakes remain high whenever these two West African rivals lock horns, Soccernet.ng reports.

The two nations meet at the Gtech Community Stadium in London for the Unity Cup – a match officially billed as a friendly but one that carries decades of rivalry and cultural pride.

Whether in football, music, or cuisine, Ghana and Nigeria have long battled for supremacy across the region.

Despite facing Nigeria three times as a coach – drawing two and losing one – Addo famously denied the Super Eagles a spot at the 2022 FIFA World Cup via the away goals rule.

Now, the former Borussia Dortmund winger is eager to record his first win over Nigeria as head coach.

“Not really a friendly” – Ghana fire Nigeria warning as ex-Dortmund star seeks first win over Super Eagles

“I think everyone knows what it’s about, surely, it’s a friendly game, but it’s not really a friendly game,” said Addo at the pre-match press conference.

“So yeah, we know what it’s about, and we want our people to be proud of us, and we want our people to talk from a certain perspective, and surely, it’s always about who has the better team. And sometimes margins can decide the outcome of the game.”

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Although Nigeria sit 33 places above Ghana in the FIFA world rankings – 42nd compared to 76th – Addo insists both teams are evenly matched.

“I think normally, to be honest, we are on the same level,” he added.

“But yeah, we’re hoping that we will win, hoping that we’ll be successful. It’s going to be tough, but I’m sure we can do it.”

Ghana are without a win in their last four meetings with Nigeria, a run that includes defeats and draws in friendlies and qualifiers.

However, the Black Stars head into this encounter on a high after a 5-0 rout of Chad and a 3-0 victory over Madagascar, keeping them top of Group I in World Cup qualifying.

Nigeria, meanwhile, have endured a shaky start to their own qualification campaign.

Although they topped their Africa Cup of Nations group to seal a spot in Morocco, their World Cup hopes remain uncertain under new coach Eric Chelle.

A solid 2-0 win over Rwanda was followed by a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Zimbabwe, leaving them fourth in their group.

Wednesday’s clash offers both teams a vital opportunity to test themselves ahead of crucial qualifiers later this year – and, if Addo’s words are anything to go by, expect anything but a friendly.