Niger will play Ghana in Group B of the African Cup of Nations

Ghana’s group opponents at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, Niger beat fellow AFCON finalists Togo 3-1 on Saturday in a warm-up game in Niamey.

Inspirational skipper Moussa Maazou and defender Mohamed Chikoto grabbed two second half goals to give Mena victory after both teams were tied on 1-1 going into the interval.

On-form Issoufou Boubacar gave the hosts the lead courtesy of a spectacular left-footed curler, before Togo restored parity through an own goal scored by experienced Niger defender Mohamed Chikoto.

The commanding Chikoto made up for his first half blunder when he restored Niger lead in the second half and in the dying moments of the encounter, Maazou rose to the occasion to earn his team a convincing win inside a jammed General Seyni Kountche Stadium.

Niger lined up Chippa United goalkeeper Daouda Kassaly, Kofi Dankwa, Issiakou Koudize, Issa Modibo, Abdoul Lassina ‘Konate’ with the likes of Kamilou Daouda and Issoufou Alhassane ‘Dante’ coming off the bench.

Both teams will again clash on January 11 in Lome, but Niger will present a home-based team for that encounter as the AFCON squad would by then be in South Africa.

Ghana will play Niger in Group B of the African Cup of Nations which starts on 19 January in South Africa.