18th March, 2015
Ghana coach Sellas Tetteh has described his team’s semi-final against bitterest rivals Nigeria “a clash of titans” with a place at the final on the cards.
The West African duo will slug it out in the first semis of the 19th Orange African U-20 Championship this evening at the Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium in Dakar.
The Flying Eagles of Nigeria have emerged the overwhelming favourites at the tournament thus far, but face their biggest test yet in a Ghana team that know all about them, having engaged the Black Satellites in two test games in their build up to the competition.
The Nigerians managed a 2-0 win and a 2-2 draw in the meetings in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, but Tetteh says the semis clash is a different platform altogether, whilst reckoning a tough test against the archrivals.
“Nigeria has a team with a lot of cohesion simply because the team are dominated by graduates of the side that won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in 2013. They have consistency and continuity, and the cohesion and understanding of the team is there.
“We know them well having played two friendlies with them and we will prepare for them. We will take the challenges they will throw at us and pick out the best out of a difficult situation and be winners on the day.
“It is clear Nigeria have an advantage having played at the Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium previously but that won’t take anything away. Our mental fortitude has to be strong.”
Tetteh, the most experienced trainer at the championship having guided Ghana to a groundbreaking gold at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt in 2009, the first and only triumph by an African team at the level, is making a third appearance at the biennial championship after Rwanda (2009) and Algeria (2013), knows all about the rivalry between the two nations having spent the twilight of his modest playing career at Nigerian sides Julius Berger, Bendel Insurance and Iwuanyawu Nationale during the mid-1990’s.
He has however downplayed on the rivalry factor charging the two sides to rise up and showcase African football to the world with a sell-out performance.
“I’m not emphasizing on the rivalry, rather on good football. I hope both sides will come out and sell African football to the world.
“The end result of course matters and the better and luckiest side could win the game. We will work hard to achieve and attain the result we looking for.”