Black Stars Defender Gideon Mensah Optimistic Ghana Will Book World Cup Ticket in Abuja

• Ghana international Gideon Mensah is positive the Black Stars will achieve World Cup qualification in the second leg of the World Cup final eliminator
• Ghana will tango with age-long rivals Nigeria in the last dance of the World Cup play-offs at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium on Tuesday, March 29
• The Black Stars will have to avoid defeat and either record a win or pull a score draw in Abuja in order to book their fourth appearance at the World Cup

Black Stars and FC Girondins de Bordeaux defender Gideon Mensah has expressed optimism ahead of the World Cup final eliminator against Nigeria today.

Mensah played an instrumental role in the scoreless draw between the Black Stars of Ghana and the Super Eagles of Nigeria last Friday.

An assured performance from the left-back ensured pacy and tricky winger Samuel Chukwueze was kept at bay while also providing an outlet on the left flank when Ghana attacked.

Key milestones of the Ivory Coast national football team

Football

Ahead of the crucial reverse tie between the two West African neighbours, Mensah is confident Ghana will upstage their age-long rivals in their backyard.

"We're not thinking about Ghana, not qualifying. We're qualifying obviously." Gideon said in a press conference.

He stressed the Black Stars will deliver a double portion of the fighting spirit exhibited in the first leg when they cross swords with the same opponents at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium.

"We had the fighting spirit in the first leg in Kumasi. We're here to push more. We're here to give more fighting spirit than we did in Kumasi."

Gideon and his Black Stars team-mates are chasing a fourth berth at the global showpiece but will have to pass a herculean test against West African neighbours Nigeria this evening.

Former Ghana international confident of Black Stars' success in Abuja

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that ex-Udinese midfield linchpin Emmanuel Agyemang Badu is optimistic the Black Stars will be able to brave the odds and stun Nigeria in the reverse fixture of the World Cup play-offs.

Fascinating details about Mali's national football team

Football

Ghana and Nigeria will reignite their hostilities when they cross swords for the second time in a space of four days for one of Africa's five available tickets for the upcoming World Cup.

The Black Stars were held to a goalless draw in the first instalment of the crucial doubleheader last Friday at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.