The Black Galaxies should not underestimate Niger in the quarterfinals of the ongoing Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) in Algeria, according to Black Satellites head coach Karim Zito.
Niger won Group E by four points over Cameroon, setting up this Saturday’s clash with Ghana. The Cameroonians needed a draw to qualify but were stunned by a well-taken free kick by Ousseini Badamassi in the 69th minute.
Karim Zito, the coach who qualified Dreams FC for the Ghana Premier League in 2018, in an interview with Happy FM in Accra, cautioned the Black Galaxies team not to underrate the Nigerians.
“It will be a very difficult game,” Karim Zito said on Happy Sports, which is hosted by Odiasempa Kwame Oware on Happy 98.9FM.
A member of Asante Kotoko’s team that played in the 1982 CAF Champions League final gave an explanation in the interview of how the Niger Football Federation scouted their players to play a similar style to Ghana’s.
Karim explained to Odiasempa, “Most of their players are from Ghana. The Niger FA comes to scout the players here in Ghana and take them there. Their play is similar to that of Ghana. When we play them, they treat it like a World Cup.”
Karim Zito, a five-time winner of Ghana’s Premier League, warned the Black Galaxies not to underestimate Nigerians because they are not African football giants but rather how a country approaches a game against Ghana.
He stated, “They will approach the game like a World Cup. It is not going to be easy, so we should not underrate them because of their name. Any team playing against Ghana always wants to compete with us. With a good understanding, we will be able to take them on.”
He also hinted at skipper Daniel Afriyie Barnieh’s absence in the quarterfinal game and a strategy that the technical team would employ.
“Afriyie Barnieh’s absence will affect the team in some way. I know the coaches will have a plan B to replace him,” Zito added.
