Qatar 2022: Don’t Waste Your Time Playing Nigeria, We Can’t Stand Them

Ghanaian Member of Parliament, Patrick Boamah has urged the nation to withdraw from their upcoming encounter with familiar foes Nigeria in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

Unarguably one of the most bitter rivals in international football, Ghana and Nigeria are set for a March showdown over two legs to decide who qualifies for the global showpiece in Qatar later this year.

The Black Stars are in poor standing ahead of the big game following their abysmal showing at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, where they exited the competition in the group stage without winning a single game.

Nigeria, on the other hand, went one step better than Ghana, making it to the Round of 16 after a stellar group stage campaign.

“If need be we should dissolve our national team and prepare a team over the next five years,” Boamah said on the floor of parliament in a discussion of the Black Stars’ underwhelming performances in Cameroon, Citi Sports reports.

“We should not waste our time playing Nigeria in the next World Cup qualifier.

“Look at the team Nigeria has, even though they are out of the tournament I don’t think with this current set-up, we can stand the Nigerians.”

Ghana will host Nigeria in the first leg fixture before travelling away for the reverse tie.

The aggregate winners of this match join four other nations to represent Africa in Qatar.

At AFCON, Ghana produced their worst campaign in the Championship’s history by finishing the group stage without winning a single game.

The Black Stars got their campaign off to a 1-0 loss to Morocco before settling for a 1-1 draw with Gabon in their second game.

In their last match, Milovan Rajevac’s side succumbed to a 3-2 loss to debutants Comoros, who had never scored a goal nor won a point at Afcon before the fateful game.

Ultimately, Ghana finished bottom of the group.

In the World Cup qualifiers, the Black Stars will hope to beat their archrivals to secure qualification after failing to make it to the last gathering in Russia 2018.