Lawrence Agyekum, the promising Ghanaian midfielder who plies his trade with Belgian side Cercle Brugge, has opened up about a personal dream he hoped to fulfill during the recently concluded Unity Cup tournament — scoring against Nigeria.

Born to a Ghanaian father and a Nigerian mother, Agyekum was especially eager for the “Jollof Derby” between the Black Stars and the Super Eagles. For him, it wasn’t just about national pride — it was family bragging rights.

“I had a dream that I scored my first national goal before the Unity Cup,” Agyekum told Ghana Guardian. “My mum is Nigerian, so I just wanted to torment her a little bit, but it did not happen.”

Sadly, the chance never came. Ghana’s coach Otto Addo benched the 21-year-old for the semi-final clash against Nigeria, a match Ghana went on to lose 2-1 after an own goal by Razak Simpson and a composed finish from Cyriel Dessers.

Though disappointed, Agyekum didn’t leave the tournament empty-handed. He featured in the third-place match against Trinidad and Tobago — and made his mark. The young midfielder found the back of the net, fulfilling at least part of his pre-tournament vision.

“Fortunately for me, I did score, and I was really happy the dream came true,” Agyekum added.

With Ghana failing to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations — their first absence in two decades — Agyekum urged his teammates and fans to look ahead.

“Not qualifying for AFCON doesn’t mean we are a failure. We must focus on the World Cup and leave what is behind. The World Cup is the tournament ahead of us, and that’s where our attention should be,” he told Sportsblog247.com.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s own journey to the 2026 FIFA World Cup looks challenging. The Super Eagles have managed just one win from their four qualifiers so far, leaving their path to North America wide open — and uncertain.