CHAN: Yusuf says Ghana loss now in the past as home Eagles target comeback in Abuja

Home-based Super Eagles head coach Salisu Yusuf has said that the team’s defeat to Ghana in the first leg of their 2023 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) is now in the past.

The coach is now focused on completing an incredible comeback when both sides meet in the second leg of the tie billed to hold at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja this weekend.

Yusuf said he was confident his team would secure a place at the 2023 CHAN to be hosted by Algeria.

Ripples Nigeria ealier reported that the home-based Eagles were defeated 2-0 by the Black Galaxies of Ghana last weekend.

For any hopes of advancing to the finals, the Eagles will need to score at least three unreplied goals in the reverse fixture on Saturday.

Read Also: 2023 CHAN Qualifier: Nigeria lose first leg to Ghana

“What is past is past and that is the case with the match we played in Ghana. Now we are looking forward to a good match on Saturday,” Yusuf stated.

“We are doing all we need to do to achieve our utmost desire to be in Algeria next year. There may have been one or two lapses that caught us on the bad end in Cape Coast but we can’t continue to dwell on that. We want to achieve a good result on Saturday.

About his possible lineup, Yusuf said: “It is going to be more like 88 to 90 percent of the team we presented in Ghana last Sunday.

“Remember that Sadiq Abubakar was injured in a moment we thought should have produced a penalty kick for us. He has not recovered fully and so may not feature.”

Meanwhile, recall that the home-based Eagles failed to qualify for the 2020 CHAN after losing to Togo in the qualifiers.

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