The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Dream Team VI

  • Dream Team VII lose 0-1 in Omdurman

    THE U-23 Eagles on Thursday night, lost 0-1 to hosts Sudan in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics football event qualifier at the Al Merriekh Stadium in Omdurman.

    The winner over two legs will qualify for the CAF U-23 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

    The Nigeria U-23 Eagles had a couple of chances to score in the first half but the duo of Taiwo Awoniyi and Stephen Odey were guilty of missing them.

    Awoniyi was fouled in the Sudan penalty area in the 38th minute but the referee refused to award a spot-kick to the Nigerians.

    The hosts scored through Walaa El-Din just before the half time break.

    Nigeria’s goalkeeper Adamu Abubakar saved superbly from a counter-attack by the Sudanese two minutes into the second half.

    The Nigerians made three second-half substitutions to find an equaliser, with the weak link Awoniyi, one of the key players making way and replaced by Sunday Adetunji.

    The Nigeria U-23 Eagles never restored parity as the match ended 1-0 advantage Sudan.

    The second leg holds next Tuesday at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.

    THE U-23 Eagles on Thursday night, lost 0-1 to hosts Sudan in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics football event qualifier at the Al Merriekh Stadium in Omdurman.

    The winner over two legs will qualify for the CAF U-23 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

    The Nigeria U-23 Eagles had a couple of chances to score in the first half but the duo of Taiwo Awoniyi and Stephen Odey were guilty of missing them.

     

    Read Also: AFCON under 23 Qualifiers: Libya beat Dream Team 2-0 in Tunisia

    Awoniyi was fouled in the Sudan penalty area in the 38th minute but the referee refused to award a spot-kick to the Nigerians.

    The hosts scored through Walaa El-Din just before the half time break.

    Nigeria’s goalkeeper Adamu Abubakar saved superbly from a counter-attack by the Sudanese two minutes into the second half.

    The Nigerians made three second-half substitutions to find an equaliser, with the weak link Awoniyi, one of the key players making way and replaced by Sunday Adetunji.

    The Nigeria U-23 Eagles never restored parity as the match ended 1-0 advantage Sudan.

    The second leg holds next Tuesday at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.

  • Nigeria 0-2 Germany Germans through to final

    Nigeria 0-2 Germany Germans through to final

    Dream Team VI  failed to reach the final of the men’s football event of the Rio 2016 Olympics following a 0-2 lost to Germany inside the Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

    The Europeans scored within the first ten minutes of play courtesy Lukas Klostermann, who rolled Captain Max Meyer’s incisive pass into the net with Emmanuel Daniel completely helpless and killed off the game with a late strike from substitute Nils Petersen.

    Samson Siasia was forced to make changes to his side as Ndifreke Udo   replaced suspended midfielder Okechukwu Azubuike, while Aminu Umar continued in the place of topscorer Oghenekaro Etebo who was only fit enough for the bench as he failed to recover on time from injury.

    The absence of the duo was evident in the Dream Team VI play as they conceded possession easily to their opponents and it was no surprise when they fell behind early on.

    Nigeria had a perfect chance to level scores when the German goalkeeper Timo Horn miss-timed his clearance into the path of Roma forward Sadiq Umar but the striker failed to punish the Germans as his shot was blocked twice before Horn recovered and made a sprawling save.

    The Germans created half chances as they tore the Nigerian defence open but it was the Dream Team VI that looked good to score when Captain Mikel Obi dribbled two defenders but the third made a fantastic block as he pulled the trigger.

    Nigeria ended the first half as the stronger side with Aminu toe poking an effort towards goal after receiving a neat through pass from striker partner Sadiq but Matthias Ginter produced an exceptional tackle to send the ball for a corner.

    The second half was dominated by the Germans as they looked to extend their lead.

    Arsenal flying winger Serge Gnabry who picked up a yellow in the first half produced a fine individual moment as he cut inside Shehu before releasing a shot that Emmanuel Daniel parried for a corner.

    Mikel Obi hit the side netting from a freekick as Nigeria pressed for the equaliser. Sadiq Umar was replaced by Junior Ajayi while Saliu Popoola came on for Udo Ndifreke.

  • German star, Brandt wary of Dream Team VI

    German star, Brandt wary of Dream Team VI

    After making a smooth progress to the last four of the men’s football event of Rio 2016 Olympic Games, German midfielder, Julian Brandt is familiar with the quality of their semi-final opponent- Nigeria and the Bayer Leverkusen admitted that the U-23 Eagles are very strong and fast.

    Brandt, who was part of the team that edged out Nigeria’s Flying Eagles from the last U-20 World Cup, has been instrumental to the fine form of the European team at the Olympic Games with their 4-0 bashing of Portugal still fresh in their memory.

    “They (Nigeria) are positively crazy because they take a big risk,” he told DFB-TV. “I consider  Nigeria as offensively strong and very fast,” Brandt said.

    The winger is yet to net a goal in Rio but he has distinguished himself in the German team as been at the centre of everything racking up seven assists, with two further goals coming from his shots rebounding out and being slotted home by team-mates, meaning he has been directly involved in close to half of his side’s 19 goals so far. Brandt himself anticipates a difficult game against the unpredictable.

    However, U-23 Eagles captain, John Mikel Obi believes the African side is ready for the German machine.

    “Maybe they will be a bit similar to the Swedish or Danish teams we faced. We have to make sure we’re ready. We have to make sure we play well and hopefully we do exactly what [coach Samson Siasia] asks us to do. He’s been absolutely amazing with his tactics and with the way he wants us to play,” Mikel said.

    The two giants will battle out for a place in the final at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo.

     

  • Dream Team gets outstanding allowances

    Dream Team gets outstanding allowances

    … Etebo out of Denmark clash

    Members of the U-23 team have been paid their camp allowances for 22 days, while injured striker Junior Ajayi has been cleared to feature in Saturday’s Olympics quarter final clash against Denmark.

    The four-goal hero in the team opening game against Japan, Oghenekaro Etebo has been ruled out of the last eight clash slated for Arena Corinthians in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

    “The Sports Ministry has cleared all camp allowances of the Dream team in Rio. Players and officials have now been paid 22 days allowances,” the team spokesman, Timi Ebikagboro told africanFootball.com.

    This means each player has now received $3,300 with coach Samson Siasia getting twice that amount.

     

  • Olympics: Siasia makes five changes for Colombia clash

    Olympics: Siasia makes five changes for Colombia clash

    Dream Team VI Coach, Samson Siasia, has made five changes to his starting XI for Wednesday night’s final Group B clash with Colombia.

    Goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, Kingsley Madu and Umar Aminu have been listed in the starting XI by the coach, africanFootball.com reports.

    The other fresh inclusions are Sadiq Popoola and Effiong Ndifreke.

    Skipper Mikel Obi, Azubuike Okechukwu and the central defence pair of William Troost-Ekong and Sincere Seth will also feature in this encounter.

    Nigeria has already qualified for the quarter final of this year Olympic Games soccer event after collecting six points from two previous matches.

    The starting XI:

    Daniel Akpeyi – Effiong Ndifreke, Kingsley Madu, Sincere Seth, William Troost-Ekong – Azubuike Okechukwu, Sodiq Popoola, Mikel Obi – Ogehenekaro Etebo, Umar Aminu.

  • Incredible Etebo Scores four goals

    Incredible Etebo Scores four goals

     *Nigeria wins 5-4

    * To play Sweden on Sunday

    Nigeria showed why they are heralded as one of the best soccer nations in world football with a tidy 5-4 win against Japan at the ongoing 2016 Rio Olympics.

    It was an incredible scene inside the Amazonia Arena in Manaus as four goals were scored inside the first ten minutes of the encounter.

    The Dream Team VI were expected to be affected by jet-lag having arrived Brazil just few hours before the game but showed no signs of fatigue as they scored the first goal though Sadiq Umar who coolly finished a rebound after the goalkeeper parried an Imoh Ezekiel’s shot into his path. Japan earned a penalty just a minute later when Stanley Amuzie brought down an onrushing striker and Shinzo Koroki finished with aplomb but the drama continued as Nigeria restored their lead courtesy Oghenekaro Etebo who swept in the ball past Masatoshi Kushibiki in goal off superb a superb cross from Abdullahi Shehu. The Asian side again levelled scores at 2-2 from the restart at Koroki played a through ball to Takumi Minamino who made no mistake with his finish,all these happened inside the first ten minutes of the pulsating encounter.

    Stanley Amuzie trying to make amends for causing a penalty fired in a ferocious shot but it was parried for a corner. Mikel took the resultant corner and Umar connected a header but it went wide.

    However,Nigeria went into the break with the lead as Etebo again scored after fine work by Umar played him in.

    The dream team came into the second half renewed and it was no surprise they made it 4-2 when Umar was bought down in the penalty area and Etebo stepped up to finish for his hat-trick goal.Etebo made an early entry for the player of the tournament with a fourth goal to make it 5-2 but the Japanese reduced the deficit as arsenal new boy Takuma Asano scored his side third.

    Musashi Suzuki netted a fourth goal but the dream team VI held on for a vital win.

    Nigeria shot to the top of Group B with three point while Colombia and Sweden have a point each after they drew 2-2

  • Mikel, Akpeyi join Olympic Team in U.S

    Mikel, Akpeyi join Olympic Team in U.S

    Chelsea midfielder, John Obi Mikel and South Africa-based goalkeeper, Daniel Akpeyi, have joined the U-23 team in United States and will have their first training session with team on Monday evening.

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) confirmed that the duo are in the Olympic Team camp in Atlanta.

    CD Feirense of Portugal attacking midfielder, Oghenekaro Etebo, is expected to link up with the team on Tuesday, allnigeriasoccer.com reports.

    The team will play its last friendly game on Wednesday.

  • Siasia confirms Mikel for Olympics

    Siasia confirms Mikel for Olympics

    Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi will represent Nigeria at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, after initial fears he will not be released by his club,  Olympic Team coach, Samson Siasia has said.

    Samson Siasia  confirmed to africanFootball.com on Tuesday that the Super Eagles captain will be available for the Olympics starting on August 4.

    “We have some other players who have promised to join us and they have shown commitment like Wilfred Ndidi, who has assured us that he will join us in America.

    “Other players who will be available are goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi and Kenneth Omeruo. These are the players who are confirmed for now,” he told africanFootball.com.

     

  • Amoo defends Dream Team performance against Mexico

    Amoo defends Dream Team performance against Mexico

    Dream Team Assistant Coach, Fatai Amoo, has insisted that the team achieved its objective against Mexico U-23 in a tune game for the Olympics despite the 0-1 defeat.

    He told footballlive.ng that the Mexico side enjoyed home support and was very comfortable playing in front of a familiar crowd, a situation the Nigerian team will have to get used to when the competition gets underway in August.

    Amoo, who led a second string team to a 1-0 win over Brazil’s U23s in a commemorative friendly in March,  expressed hope that the expected players will improve the quality of the team.

    Chelsea midfielder, Mikel Obi, Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi and Kenneth Omeruo are expected to join the team before the commencement of the Olympics next month.

  • Olympic Team form worries Akpoborie

    Olympic Team form worries Akpoborie

    Former Nigeria International, Jonathan Akpoborie, believes Dream Team VI coach, Samson Siasia, still has a lot of work to do on the team after the U-23s  suffered a 0-1 defeat to Mexico in Olympic Games tune up game on Saturday night.

    The loss followed the dismal performance of the African Champions at the Suwon four nation invitational Tourney in June.

    Akpoborie told footballlive.ng the team may not recover from such defeats before the Olympics proper.