5 Black Stars players to watch as Nigeria battle Ghana for World Cup spot

On Friday, Nigeria will take on Ghana in the first leg of their World Cup qualifying play-off in Kumasi, before hosting the return in Abuja four days later.

With so much at stake, even discounting the rivalry between the two nations, any edge or weakness could prove decisive. These five Black Stars, for better or worse, could be crucial in the outcome come next Tuesday.

There is no nice way to put this: the Nigeria technical crew will almost certainly pick Yiadom out as a weak link.

While Ghana as a whole did not cover themselves in glory at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Reading man struggled particularly. Time and again, the right-back was found wanting, most notably getting stepped past too easily for Gabon’s late equaliser in their 1-1 draw. 

It is not just defensive frailties, however. Going forward, Yiadom does not evince a great deal of composure or confidence. Not only do his deliveries leave a lot to be desired, but the timing of them and the decision-making that goes into his overall play can also be a head-scratcher sometimes.

That may well explain the decision to call up Fulham defender Denis Odoi. However, if Yiadom does start, he will be subjected to a thorough going-over from (most likely) Moses Simon, especially considering Nigeria’s tendency to concentrate play down the flanks.

In much the same way that Nigeria have goalkeeping uncertainty, Ghana are themselves facing a selection headache between the sticks. 

In the end, one suspects the new coaching crew will keep faith with Wollacott, who was in goal during AFCON. 

If they do, the Swindon Town goalkeeper will once again see his distribution come under scrutiny. Wollacott’s kicking down the field was a real sore point in Cameroon, as his tendency to slice goal kicks out of play meant Ghana were quickly under pressure again.

There is also the fact that, while he does not have a notable weakness in the shot-stopping stakes, he is far from a floor-raiser in that respect. Against what promises to be a blockbuster Nigeria attack, a stern examination awaits.

Ghana were without Ajax midfielder Kudus for the AFCON, and it showed. The 21-year-old is one of the Black Stars’ biggest sources of creativity, and with him injured there was a distinct lack of dynamism and invention to their play.

His recovery has been a slow one, and so in that sense, this is a pretty rotten time for such a crucial tie. That said, the Black Stars will be even more reliant on him in the absence of Andre Ayew, who is out through suspension. 

Considering Nigeria will be without the influential Wilfred Ndidi, Ghana have a real chance to stamp their authority and dominate centrally. In order for that to happen though, they will need Kudus to be the best version of himself.

The lively Afena-Gyan has burst onto the scene in impressive fashion under Jose Mourinho at Roma.

A multi-functional, adaptable forward is a real wildcard for the Black Stars, and his decision to represent Ghana has come at an opportune moment for them, with public approval at an all-time low and faced with a paucity of top-level centre-forwards.

Capable of playing both on the left and upfront, Afena-Gyan’s speed, composure in front of goal and physical prowess make for a heady, dangerous mix for the Nigeria defence.

There was a ton of hype accompanying Issahaku going into the AFCON, with much made of the potential of his wide tandem with Kamaldeen Sulemana. 

The youngster did not quite live up to the billing, however, and with hindsight perhaps that level of expectation was too much on the 18-year-old. Not like it is about to get any better or easier though; a winner-takes-all tie against the archenemy Nigeria is hardly a stepping stone sort of engagement.

The thing is though: Issahaku’s potential, though somewhat overstated, is very real. If he puts it all together over these two legs, it could spell trouble for Nigeria, especially in the left-back zone where Porto man Zaidu Sanusi can struggle for consistency.