Nigeria out to scratch 15-year itch against Ghana in clash of great rivals

A bitter February night at Griffin Park in 2007. A friendly between Nigeria and Ghana, as though such a thing were possible. Ghana had not beaten their neighbours in 15 years but when Nigerian defences cracked, they collapsed.

It was 0-0 at half-time but then Laryea Kingson, Sulley Muntari and Junior Agogo struck between the 50th and 60th minutes. It was a lot less than 10 minutes of playing time given the gleeful pitch invasions that followed each goal. The game finished 4-1, well over an hour later than scheduled, thanks to a delayed start for a larger than expected crowd and the frequent interruptions (a personal confession: I queued for more than an hour at an overwhelmed press entrance with the Observer’s then-sports editor Brian Oliver, before giving up and hopping over a barrier, ripping my coat as I did so).

In his final game as Nigeria coach before being replaced by Berti Vogts, Augustine Eguavoen just about retained his dignity in a ferocious post-match press conference. For 15 minutes the Nigerian media tore into him before he called a halt by suggesting that because the Ghana coach, Claude Le Roy, who had been awkwardly sitting alongside him throughout, had turned 59 the previous day, everybody should sing “happy birthday”, which they lustily did.

It was a night of unforgettable and glorious chaos, but in hindsight perhaps the most memorable aspect was the Ghanaian radio commentator whose voice dominated the press box. “More than 15 years! More than 15 years!” he bellowed at the final whistle. “It will be more than 15 years before they beat us again.”

He was right. Nigeria have not beaten Ghana since. But more than 15 years have passed and as the two great rivals prepare for Friday’s first leg of their World