We Are In Kumasi To Make History, Says Ahmed Musa

Ardent football followers in Ghana strongly believe that the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi is a slaughter ground for opposition teams.

Though it is surprising that the stadium was not their first choice for the crunchy encounter with the Super Eagles but were only forced by circumstances to leave their initial choice, the Cape Coast stadium.

They glowingly recall the 6-1 demolition of Egypt at the ground in 2013 as well as another 7-0 demolition of hapless Lesotho in 2012.

They easily forget that it was on that same ground that South Africa beat Ghana 1-0 to eliminate the Black Stars at the quarter-finals of the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations. The same South African team was beaten by the Super Eagles in the semi-finals of the competition.

The Super Eagles are not even swayed in their determination as they promised to banish the so-called myth of Ghana’s invincibility in Kumasi.

Ahmed Musah has said that his men are confident of breaking the jinx at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi by beating Ghana in the first leg of the 2022 World Cup playoff.

Ghanasoccernet quoted the over a century capped player as saying that his players have in recent past beat home sides and that Ghana will not be an exemption.

Speaking ahead of the game, the Fatih Karagümrük forward stated the Super Eagles can repeat the victory against Benin in the AFCON qualifiers when they face Ghana at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.

“We have been hearing a lot of things. How they have not lost in that stadium (Babayara).

“If you remember the 2021 AFCON qualifiers when we played in Benin Republic, they told us they have not lost there. We went there and won.

“I believe we will go there and make history by winning in Kumasi,” Musa said during Wednesday’s press conference in Abuja.

Nigeria have in the past beaten Ghana at home. First was in 1975 Ghana-Nigeria Sports Festival when goals from Ogidi Ibeabuchi and Emeka Onyeadika enabled Nigeria shock Ghana 2-1 at home.

At another time, Adegboye Onigbinde led the Nigerian side to beat Ghana 1-0 at home after a goalless outing in Kaduna in the qualifying series for the Los Angeles Olympic Games.

It was in that 30 October 1983 match that the legendary Rashidi Yekini debuted for Nigeria. Chibuzor Ehilegbu and John Omughele scored Nigeria’s two goals in a famous 2-1 win.

The famous 6-1 defeat of Egypt at the Baba Yara Stadium had been attributed to the employment of voodoo (Juju) by the Ghanaians.

It was gathered that a spokesperson of the Ghana Football Association (GFA)  revealed that a Sport Minister at the time exhumed the body of a dead goat to help Ghana beat Egypt. The said Minister is Joseph Yamin who served as a deputy to Elvis Afriyie Ankrah.

Yamin, in an interview with www.ghanaweb.com denied exhuming the goat himself but confirmed that the state, upon the advice of some spiritualists had to perform some rituals to help the Black Stars secure victory over the Egyptians.

The former Deputy Sports Minister confirmed to being part of delegation that visited two places in Kumasi to dig out some items which had been planted with the aim of causing the Black Stars to lose the game.