2022 WCQ: Kingson makes bold Ghana predication against Nigeria
Ghana goalkeepers coach Richard Kingson believes the Black Stars are more than capable of beating Nigeria both home and away to secure qualification for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The two rivals are set to face off on March 25 and 29 to decide who joins four other African teams for the November 21 to December 18 global festival.
Ghana come into the game on the back of a disappointing performance at the recent Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Cameroon, where a humiliating 10-man 3-1 defeat to Comoros resulted in a first-round exit.
“Our last performance [against Comoros] is what has given me the confidence that if we are able to improve, we will beat Nigeria home and away,” Kingson, Ghana’s first-choice goalkeeper at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, told Hot FM.
“The way we played 10 against 11, if we are able to build on that, we will beat Nigeria home and away; write it down because I don’t see any threat in Nigeria’s team.”
Ghana will host the first leg in Cape Coast before travelling away for the return fixture four days later.
In the dug-out for the Black Stars will be a new head coach in the person of Borussia Dortmund assistant Otto Addo, who has been appointed to lead the national team in an interim capacity for the upcoming two-legged qualifier.
The Germany-born former Ghana international will be assisted by Aston Villa U23 coach of Ghanaian descent George Boateng and former Nordsjaelland youth coach Mas-Ud Didi Dramani.
Former Newcastle United boss Chris Hughton has also been brought on board as technical advisor to Addo.
While Kingson is in high spirits, Ghana member of parliament Patrick Boamah has little optimism about the Black Stars’ chances against the Super Eagles.
He recently said on the floor of parliament: “If need be, [let’s] dissolve our national team, and prepare our national team for the next five years, so that we don’t waste our time in playing Nigeria in the next World Cup qualifier.
“Because look at the team Nigeria has, even though they’re out of the tournament, I don’t think with the current setup, we can stand [against] the Nigerians.”
Ghana are eyeing a return to the World Cup following their failure to qualify for the 2018 event.