Algeria 2023: CHAN Eagles coach Salisu banks on return leg

After a disappointing outing in the first leg of two legged encounter against Ghana on Sunday, CHAN Eagles coach Salisu Yusuf says his team can still turn the table in Abuja in the return leg.

The CHAN Eagles were beaten 2-0 in Cape Coast by their Ghanaian otherwise called the Black Galaxies to earn an edge ahead of the return leg billed for the MKO Abiola Stadium on September 3rd.

Speaking in a post match interview the former kano Pillars handler said “We can still turn it around, its possible”

While Salisu and his boys make table turning plans ahead of the Abuja showdown, Black Galaxies coach Annor Walker is counting his blessings, noting that pep talk to his boys served as a major ginger in clipping the wings of the Eagles.

Second half goals from Daniel Afriyie Barnieh and Suraj Seidu were just enough to hand Walker the needed three points.

“In actual fact, it was a difficult game especially in the first half because the Nigerians didn’t allow us to play the way we wanted,” Walker was quoted on ghanasoccernet.com.

“So, after the first half, we talked to the players to change their mentality and play aggressively like how Nigeria did in the first half. After the break, I think the players changed their mindset and that paid off for us.

“In all, I will say it was a difficult game but all the same God has seen us through. We have struggled in the first half in our last two games (Qatar and Nigeria) but against Benin, it wasn’t like that because we had the chance to score two early goals in the first half.

“Against Qatar, we struggled a bit until the second half because they scored two goals which disrupted us. Nigeria too made it difficult for us in the first half and it is good that we have noticed our shortfalls, going forward we will change the narrative,” Walker enthused.

The last time Ghana featured at the CHAN tournament was at the 2014 edition in South Africa where they finished as runners-up.

Nigerian fans will no doubt be hoping that the CHAN Eagles indeed rise to the occasion come Saturday in Abuja.

Recall that in a two legged encounter between Black Stars of Ghana and Super Eagles in the World cup play-off ended in favour of Ghana who picked the World cup ticked at the expense of Nigeria after holding the Eagles to a goalless draw in Cape Coast and grabbing 1-1 draw in the return leg in Abuja to progress on away goal rule.

Ghana, Tunisia, Morocco Senegal and Cameroon claimed the five African slots to the World Cup in November/December.

The Salisu led Eagles have already breezed into Abuja ahead of the clash confirming that preparation for the second leg will begin immediately

“We have arrived in Abuja. Preparation for the second leg fixture billed for Saturday 3rd September 2022 in Abuja begins in earnest” said the team