Black Stars head coach Otto Addo says he is taking Ghana’s upcoming clash against Nigeria in the Unity Cup very seriously, citing the long-standing rivalry between the two West African giants. Addo expressed his determination to secure a win to bring pride to Ghanaians, despite being without several key players.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s encounter, Addo emphasized that the match may be tagged a friendly, but for him and his players, it’s much more than that.

“The last friendly we lost, so we really want to beat them this time. I know about the rivalry, so games like these are very important. A win here can get the fans behind us,” he said. “It’s a friendly but not really a friendly. We want our people to be proud of us. It’s always about who has the better team.”

Ghana will be without star players like Mohammed Kudus, Thomas Partey, and Kamaldeen Sulemana due to injuries. Additionally, players based in Turkey and Major League Soccer are unavailable as their club seasons are ongoing.

Despite these setbacks, Addo has assembled a 23-man squad that blends returning names with new faces.

Notable comebacks include PAOK full-back Baba Rahman, returning after over a year out of the national team, and striker Felix Afena-Gyan, who last featured nearly three years ago. Midfielders Majeed Ashimeru and Salis Abdul Samed are also back in the fold and available for selection.

The team began camping last Monday to prepare adequately for the challenge ahead.

The four-time African champions will begin their Unity Cup campaign against Nigeria on May 29, before facing either Jamaica or Trinidad and Tobago on May 31.