Ghana's Academicals failed to avenge two painful defeats they suffered in the hands of their Nigerian counterparts last year when the two sides drew 1-1 in an international friendly played at the Accra Sports Stadium on Saturday.

The Ghanaian team, selected from last year's VALCO Schools Competition and the Milo Soccer Tournament, were assembled barely a week ago and this reflected in their play as they showed signs of naivety, especially in front of goal.

In what has become a yearly ritual for both countries through the sponsorships of Shell (Nigeria) and VALCO for the Ghanaians, the twinkle-twinkle little stars, most of whom have just completed their Senior Secondary School Programme, showed lots of promises.

The Nigerians looked better prepared and physically conditioned for the 80-minute match. Nana Gyan Asamoah shot the Ghanaians ahead in the 23rd minute with a beautiful connection after an individual brilliance by Richard Pobee. Asamoah had earlier wasted lots of chances and it was no wonder that the scanty fans began agitating for his substitution. But just as the fans intensified their agitation, the tall and lanky player pulled a surprise to silence them.

That early shocker notwithstanding, the Nigerians were a delight to watch in the first half as they operated from the flanks and raided the goal area of the Ghanaians. Ghana's goalkeeper Aduwalda Shamadan pulled two great saves from Felix Orode in the seventh and ninth minutes as the Nigerians piled up the pressure. The Ghanaians, however, warmed themselves into the game at the last quarter of the first half but wasted chance after chance with Asamoah and Pobee being the worst culprits.

Just as the second half commenced, a sizable number of drum-beating and foot-stumping Nigerian fans thronged the stadium with some deafening tunes, which galvanised their young players to re-launch their attack. The support created the impression as though the Ghanaians were playing away from home and paid off when in the 73rd minute Anudu Onyeka scored an opportunistic equaliser after the Ghanaian defenders were caught ball watching.

Onyeka somersaulted in an acrobatic style to celebrate his goal, reminiscing Super Eagles Julius Aghahowa's back flip that accompanied his goals in the 2002 Cup of Nations Mali. The two teams meat again in Lagos on Saturday, April 27.