Ghana’s Black Galaxies head coach, Mas-Ud Didi Dramani, has expressed confidence in his team’s readiness ahead of their 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier against perennial rivals Nigeria.
The two West African football powerhouses will face off for a place in CHAN 2024, with the first leg set to take place at the Accra Sports Stadium this Sunday.
Speaking to Ghana Guardian, Dramani emphasized that facing Nigeria in the qualifier was not unexpected, asserting that it is a natural part of the journey for teams aiming to reach the top in African football.
Black Galaxies Head Coach Didi Dramani speaks on Ghana’s preparations ahead of CHAN qualifiers.
In his words, “we’re focusing on recovery for the players released for the league last weekend and working hard with the players that stayed…”
The first leg of the BIG GAME comes up… pic.twitter.com/JNAoaomT1x
— Official54fx (@54footballx) December 18, 2024
“In football, when you want to get to the top, you should be ready to meet the top liners. For me, it was not surprising that we were meeting Nigeria,” Dramani said. “They are a great side, but we are equally determined to achieve our goals. We are fully prepared for the challenge.”
“The team has come a long way since we defeated Nigeria last time, and the spirit is even stronger now,” Dramani added. “This is a new challenge, but we are ready to take it on with everything we have.”
The Black Galaxies will be seeking to continue their dominance over Nigeria, having eliminated them from the qualification race for the last edition of the competition.
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The 2024 African Nations Championship is set to take place in Algeria, and the winner of this two-legged qualifier will secure their spot in the tournament.
Ghana’s Black Galaxies secured a 2-0 win over Togo in their test game today.
Albert Amoah and Yakubu Issah scored for the Ghanaians at Stade de Kégué in Lome.
They will host Nigeria in the first leg of the 2024 CHAN qualifiers in 11 days’ time.#CHAN2024QPrep pic.twitter.com/F1mmOx7Hjz
— Samuel Areo (@Undisputed_Jsam) December 11, 2024
As the countdown to the first leg at the Accra Sports Stadium begins, anticipation is mounting among fans, and the Black Galaxies will be hoping to make a strong statement in front of their home crowd before heading to Uyo for the decisive second leg.