Nigeria vs Ghana Live Updates, commentary and reactions

Nigeria and Ghana are currently going at it at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja for a place at Qatar World cup.

Nigeria vs Ghana Live Updates Below:

Full time: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

Thomas Partey’s strike sends Ghana to the World Cup while Nigeria miss out for the first time since 2006!

Nigeria goalkeeper Francis Uzoho will take some time to get over this one after letting the Arsenal star’s shot go straight through his body.

It would be an exaggeration to call it a deserved win for the Black Stars, but Nigeria didn’t show anywhere near enough in the second half to breach their defence after Troost Ekong’s penalty equaliser.

Away goals seem a particularly harsh way to decide things but Ghana won’t care a jot.

11 MINUTES AGO
Ghana qualify for the World Cup!!!!!!!!!

13 MINUTES AGO
90+4: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

A long ball goes comfortably wide of Wollacot’s post. Ghana nearly there now…

14 MINUTES AGO
90+2: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

A poor free kick from Moses Simon floats comfortably over the bar.

Ghana goalkeeper Joe Wollacot harshly booked for timewasting the second the ballboy gives him the ball.

15 MINUTES AGO
90+1: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

Free kick to Nigeria on the edge of the box.

9 MINUTES AGO
90: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

Ghana break and Osman Bukari has the chance to win it.

But he pulls his shot so wide it hits the corner flag.

9 MINUTES AGO
90: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

Five minutes stoppage time added on.

11 MINUTES AGO
87: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

Nigeria substitution.

Calvin Bassey is replaced by Umar Sadiq.

The Super Eagles going centre-forward crazy.

12 MINUTES AGO
86: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

Free kick in a promising position for the Super Eagles.

However, Moses Simon overhits the delivery and it goes beyond Troost-Ekong and out for a goal kick.

15 MINUTES AGO
83: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

Victor Osimhen and overhead kicks – name a more iconic duo!

The Serie A Player of the Month is nothing if not confident in his ability.

A lofted high ball falls to the Napoli striker, who generates incredible power to fire just wide with a bicycle kick.

Meanwhile Thomas Partey is handed a yellow card.

18 MINUTES AGO
80: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

A bit better from the hosts now.

High ball comes in and Victor Osimhen is bundled to the ground.

The crowd appeal in vain for what would be a soft penalty and VAR doesn’t feel the need to check it.

21 MINUTES AGO
77: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

Substitutions for Nigeria.

Ahmed Musa replaces Peter Etebo while the experienced Odion Ighalo comes on for Emmanuel Dennis.

JUST NOW
76: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

The clock is ticking and we are seeing less and less from Nigeria to suggest they can get the crucial winner.

Kyereh makes himself a half chance for Ghana but fires well over the bar.

5 MINUTES AGO
70: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

Best chance of the half for Nigeria.

Moses Simon earns the free-kick and for the first time tonight, the delivery is perfect.

Rangers’ Leon Balogun gets his head on the end of it and forces a brilliant point-blank save from Wollacott.

8 MINUTES AGO
68: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

Another half chance for Nigeria.

Emmanuel Dennis jinks his way down the right-hand flank again, before playing it to Watford team-mate Peter Etebo, who fires comfortably over the bar.

9 MINUTES AGO
65: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

The intimidating atmosphere of the first half has somewhat subsided as nervousness surrounds the national stadium in Abuja.

Only the Nigerian band can still be heard.

11 MINUTES AGO
63: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

Ghana will be encouraged by the first quarter of an hour of this second half.

Nigeria have had the lion’s share of the play, but it’s hardly been wave after wave of attacks as it was in the first half.

A little pedestrian from the Super Eagles, who really need to step it up if they’re not to miss out on the World Cup on away goals.

14 MINUTES AGO
60: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

Nigeria substitution – Moses Simon replaces Ademola Lookman

16 MINUTES AGO
58: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

Good low cross from Peter Etebo deflects off the Ghanaian defender.

From there it falls to Victor Osimhen, who tries the spectacular and fires just over the bar with an overhead kick.

20 MINUTES AGO
54: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

Golden chance for Emmanuel Dennis who glances a free header wide of the left-hand post.

Troost-Ekong may have been in a better position if he had left it.

24 MINUTES AGO
51: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

Half chance for Nigeria as Ola Aina bombs down the wing and plays in a high cross which is half cleared before being shanked wide by Joe Aribo.

2 MINUTES AGO
48: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

Nothing comes from the initial corner, but it’s another heart-in-mouth moment for Francis Uzoho.

The Nigeria goalkeeper, who gifted Thomas Partey Ghana’s opener, needlessly flaps at the ball and puts his side under pressure.

3 MINUTES AGO
47: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

Not quite the smooth start to the half Nigeria were hoping for.

Troost-Ekong miscontrols a simple pass and Ghana have a corner.

4 MINUTES AGO
Nigeria substitution

Nigeria have made a half time substitution of their own.

Frank Onyeka, who had that nasty clash with Daniel Amartey at the end of the first half, is replaced by Shehu Abdullahi.

6 MINUTES AGO
Ayew off

Jordan Ayew has suffered the indignity of being taken off at half time by Ghana.

The Crystal Palace striker has been pretty ineffective and has failed to have a shot.

Idrissu Baba is also subbed for Reading’s Andy Yiadom.

12 MINUTES AGO
Early night

Thomas Partey’s away goal for Ghana means there can no longer be extra time and penalties in this World Cup play-off.

As it stands, the Black Stars will qualify for Qatar on away goals.

But barring truly unforeseeable circumstances, we will know which team is heading to the Gulf this November in about an hour’s time.

17 MINUTES AGO
Close call

Nigeria look by far the better side in Abuja, but the clock is on Ghana’s side.

Away goals count double, meaning as things stand it will be the Black Stars who make it to Qatar.

Thomas Partey’s goal has been their only shot of the game but they won’t care how they get to the World Cup as long as they do it.

HALF TIME: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

There was still time for a bit more action at the end of the half.

A mix-up in the Nigerian defence almost sent Jordan Ayew through.

But this time goalkeeper Francis Uzoho was alert and pounced on the ball.

JUST NOW
45+1: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

It was almost jeepers keepers at both ends.

Ghana goalkeeper Jojo Wollacott came out to collect from a corner and missed the ball completely.

But fortunately for the Black Stars it was cleared off the line.

2 MINUTES AGO
45: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

Four minutes added on.

That seems a surprisingly low figure as it took that long just to check the disallowed Osimhen goal.

JUST NOW
44: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

A nasty clash between Onyeka and Amartey as both players go off to receive treatment.

7 MINUTES AGO
Goal ruled out!

It looked offside in real time and it’s given offside.

Quite a long check for what seemed an obvious decision, but there is a World Cup place at stake!

8 MINUTES AGO
33: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

Victor Osimhen went through on goal, rounded the goalkeeper and tapped a second for the Super Eagles into an empty net.

A long VAR check now taking place is a potential offside is looked at.

11 MINUTES AGO
Nigeria goal – VAR review!

This is how Nigerians reacted when Ekong scored a goal:

The fans wan mad the moment Ekong converted the spot kick #nigeriavsghana #Ghana #Nigeria #SoarSuperEagles pic.twitter.com/QFRgn0J45O

— Sarafina Napoleon (@FinaNapoleon) March 29, 2022

27: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

Nothing comes of the free kick and a loose pass gives Ghana a throw-in.

4 MINUTES AGO
25: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

Free kick to Nigeria on the edge of the box and a yellow card for the Ghanaian.

Daniel Amartey meanwhile is going absolutely mad at the referee.

The Ghana players need to be careful not to lose all composure here.

22: Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

Given the attacking talent on show for Nigeria, Watford defender William Troost-Ekong may have appeared a surprise penalty taker for Premier League fans.

But he is the Super Eagles captain and he lived up to his responsibilities to send the home crowd wild as he smashed the ball down the middle.

3 MINUTES AGO
GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!

Troost-Ekong emphatically converts the penalty!

4 MINUTES AGO
20: Nigeria 0 Ghana 1

It seems looks are deceiving.

When the footage was slowed down, the Ghana defender appeared not to have got the ball and the penalty was awarded.

5 MINUTES AGO
Penalty to Nigeria!

6 MINUTES AGO
18: Nigeria 0 Ghana 1

Wave after wave of Nigeria attacks now.

The crowd cry for a penalty, but it looked like the defender got the ball.

But wait, the referee is being called over for a VAR review!

8 MINUTES AGO
15: Nigeria 0 Ghana 1

Good link-up play from William Troost Ekong and Joe Aribo but it comes to nothing as the pass to Ademola Lookman is intercepted.

12 MINUTES AGO
10: Nigeria 0 Ghana 1

A real hit and hope effort from the Arsenal star puts Ghana one up and looking good for the World Cup.

Disaster for Nigerian backup goalkeeper Francis Uzoho of Omonia Nicosia though, who somehow managed to dive over the top of a shot that went straight at him.

The response from Nigeria is immediate though as Emmanuel Dennis and Joe Aribo both go close.

Meanwhile, Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong has promised to deliver the goods and take the Super Eagles to Qatar tonight.

The Watford defender told BBC:

“I think you can look at it [the first leg 0-0 draw] two ways.

“We have players known to score goals including Emmanuel Dennis and Odion Ighalo [who were on the bench] and I would back all of them.

“I think they are going to feel even more challenged to score and show everyone that they can do that.

“Secondly we’ve only conceded one goal in the last five games so maybe that’s where our strength lies as well.

“And of course, the boys scored at the Afcon [in the group stage] so I’m not worried about scoring goals at all.

“I see the forwards in training every day, I see what they’ve done in the Nigeria jersey.

“We’ve learned from the first leg and we’ll try to exploit the defence in a different way.

“We still managed to get through them once or twice in the first leg and we just have to be more clinical.”

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