Ghana’s Black Galaxies head coach, Mas-Ud Didi Dramani, has expressed his determination to make the most of the home advantage as his team prepares to host Nigeria in the first leg of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) playoffs.

The fierce West African rivalry will be reignited on Sunday, December 22, at the Accra Sports Stadium, where Ghana will aim to establish a solid foundation for qualification. The return leg is scheduled for Saturday, December 28, at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Nigeria.

Speaking to CAFOnline ahead of the crucial tie, Dramani highlighted the importance of the home crowd in spurring his team to victory.

“The home advantage is crucial,” Dramani said. “We want to use the energy of our fans to motivate the team. Securing a win in the first leg sets the tone for the second leg, giving us an edge in this tight contest.”

The Black Galaxies are no strangers to this challenge, having faced Nigeria at the same stage two years ago. On that occasion, Ghana triumphed in a dramatic penalty shootout to qualify for the CHAN tournament, where they eventually reached the quarterfinals.

With CHAN 2024 set to be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, Dramani and his squad are keen to take this pivotal step toward another tournament appearance. The match in Accra is set to kick off at 15:00 GMT, and all eyes will be on Ghana to see if they can deliver in front of their home supporters.