The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Dream Team VI

  • Hole in the heart: Dream Team VI’s captain gets conflicting medical reports

    Hole in the heart: Dream Team VI’s captain gets conflicting medical reports

    THE future of the under- -23 dream team VI captain, Erhun Obanor now hangs in the balance over his health status.

    A scan Eco Cardiogram test conducted by the NFF medical team showed he has a hole in the Heart  which led to his exclusion from the squad that won the U-23 AFCON in Senegal recently.

    But another test conducted by the University of Benin Teaching Hospital showed a contradictory result.

    Deeply worried, Obanor who was recently dropped from the Senegal Olympic qualifier based on the team doctor’s result, said his future now hangs in the balance.

    Obanor, who spoke to some sports journalists at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium.,Benin on his current health status, said the second test was to have been performed while they were in camp in Gambia but couldn’t due to dwindling financial aid

    He said: “When we were in camp in Nigeria,a test was conducted and the result showed that there is something that looks like a hole in my heart. But another one was supposed to be carried out in Gambia.

    “I was told that there was no money so when I came to Benin, my parents advised that we visit UBTH and after they did the test, the results showed that there was no hole in  my heart.

    “That is the situation we are now.  I am just waiting for further action from the team doctor or my chief coach, “he said.

  • Ajayi hails Nigerians for supporting Dream Team

    Ajayi hails Nigerians for supporting Dream Team

    CS Sfaxien striker, Junior Ajayi, has thanked Nigerians for supporting the Dream Team during the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations in Senegal.

    “We had so much confidence in ourselves after beating Senegal and knew we can go all the way to win the trophy,” Junior Ajayi told allnigeriasoccer.com.

    “And the support of our Nigerian fans made it very easy for us.”

    Ajayi scored two goals for the Dream Team at the competition.

    The youngster departed Senegal for Tunisia on Sunday morning.

  • Dream Team returns Monday

    Dream Team returns Monday

    Nigeria’s victorious team to this year’s U-23 African Nations Cup in Senegal will return to the country on Monday morning, officials have said.

    Nigeria’s Dream Team VI clinched the 2015 U-23 AFCON title Saturday night after defeating Algeria 2-1 in the final, africanFootball.com reports.

    Nigeria, Algeria and South Africa will represent Africa at next year’s Rio Olympics.

    Meanwhile, the team’s three foreign-based professionals – skipper Azubuike Okechukwu (Turkey), Junior Ajayi (Tunisia) and Taiwo Awoniyi (Germany) – returned to their clubs immediately after Saturday’s final.

  • Dream Team VI win African U-23 Trophy

    Dream Team VI win African U-23 Trophy

    Nigeria’s  U-23 side tagged Dream Team VI, have won the  African U-23 Africa Cup of Nations following a 2-1 win over Algeria in the final played last night at the at the Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium in Dakar.

    Nigeria’s Etebo Oghenekaro  scored a  first half brace in the 15th and 40th minute while Segun  Oduduwa conceded an own goal  in the 31st minute in the pulsating match that saw  goalkeeper  Daniel Emmanuel  deny the Algerians a possible  equaliser  after  he caught  a penalty kick in the second half.

    Saturday’s victory was an icing on the cake for the coach Samson Siasia-led  side  that had  earlier qualified  for  the 2016 Rio Olympics  Football Tournament after  their   semi final win over host Senegal.

    “We’re very happy to be in the final,” noted Siasia  ahead of the match against Algeria.“It has been a long journey with some ups and downs but it feels good to be in the final. We know our opponents (Algeria) very well after playing them (at the group phase) and seeing their matches.

    “The objective was to qualify for the Olympics which we achieved against Senegal. Now, we’ve set another objective, which is to win because we want to win the tournament for our people back home in Nigeria,” he noted.

    Meanwhile, South Africa  have qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics  yesterday  after a 3-1 penalties win over hosts Senegal in the Under 23 Africa Cup of Nations third place play-off match in Dakar.

    Goalkeeper Jody February proved to be South Africa’s hero with a string of fine saves during the shootout, and a penalty saves in the regulation 90 minutes, which ended 0-0.

    Phakamani Mahlambi hit the winning spot-kick to send South Africa’s men to the Rio Games.

    It is the first time that both the South Africa men’s and women’s football teams have qualified for an Olympics.

    In a rare instance of a third-place play-off match carrying more importance than the final itself, it was the hosts Senegal who had the best chance in the game to seal victory. Senegal were awarded a penalty in the 73rd minute. Mousa Keita’s effort was saved by the outstanding February who also played a starring role in the ensuing shootout, saving three spot-kicks .

    South Africa’s men join the Under 23 Africa Cup of Nations finalists, Nigeria and Algeria, at Rio 2016.

  • Nigeria wins CAF U-23 championship

    Nigeria on Saturday night clinched the 2015 U-23 African Nations Cup after defeating Algeria 2-1 in the final in Dakar, Senegal.

    Nigeria, Algeria and South Africa, who pipped hosts Senegal on penalties in a third-place final, will automatically represent Africa in next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, africanFootball.com reports.

    Two goals by the tournament’s top scorer Oghenekaro Etebo was only halved by an own goal by Nigeria defender Segun Oduduwa to leave the tie delicately balanced.

    However, there were no goals in the second half of a very exciting rematch after both teams played out a goalless draw in the group phase of the competition.

    The Nigerians were rewarded for their daring attacking football and they could have gone ahead in the first five minutes through FIFA U-17 World Cup hotshot, Victor Osimhen, who made his first start at the championship after substitute appearances in the previous two games.

    However, Nigeria finally took the lead after 14 minutes from the penalty spot after Etebo drove into the Algeria goal area and was brought down by Ayoub Abdellaoui for a penalty.

    The lively Warri Wolves midfielder dusted himself up and tucked the penalty home after sending goalkeeper Sahli the wrong way.

    Nigeria continued to boss the possession, but Algeria fought back to draw level on the half hour, when Zinedine Ferhat’s dangerous cross from the right was headed by Oduduwa into his own net.

    Etebo will then restored Nigeria’s lead in the 41st minute, when he again drove into the Algerian defence before firing past the onrushing goalkeeper for his fifth goal of the competition.

  • CAF U23 AFCON FINAL SHOWDOWN: Shehu Abdullahi tips Dream Team VI for title

    CAF U23 AFCON FINAL SHOWDOWN: Shehu Abdullahi tips Dream Team VI for title

    Portuguese União da Madeira defender, Shehu Abdullahi has tipped the country’s Dream Team VI for the title at the ongoing CAF U-23 AFCON holding in Senegal after the team got the better of the hosts 1-0 on Wednesday to qualify for Saturday’s final and next year’s Rio Olympic Games.

    Abdullahi in a brief chat from his base told SportingLife that  Dream Team VI have through their performance proved doubters wrong and deserve to beat Algeria to emerge as the African Champions going into the Olympic Games next year.

    The former Kano Pillars’ defender reflected on the turbulent time the team had had in the qualifiers for the CAF AFCON and what they passed through before surviving the heat both emitting from the venue of the competition and from Nigeria through disparaging words.

    He said the team led by Samson Siasia has shown that it is never proper to give up when it wasn’t yet over adding that  Dream Team VI must go for the cup and go to the Olympics as African Champions.

    “I want to say that  Dream Team VI have proved all wrong through their performance that they can do it. They had a slow start but they have overcome their initial fears in the competition.

    “We can learn a lot from them and I want to challenge the team to aim at winning the competition because going to the Olympics as African Champions would be the ideal compensation for their labour throughout their stay in Senegal,” Abdullahi told SportingLife.

    Dream Team VI will tackle Algeria in Saturday’s final in a repeat of the Group B clash which ended goalless last week.

  • Barcelona’s Ekpolo hails Nigeria’s Olympics qualification

    Barcelona’s Ekpolo hails Nigeria’s Olympics qualification

    Barcelona defender, Elohor Godswill Ekpolo, has congratulated the Dream Team VI for qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

    The Benin City – born player would have been one of the foreign – based players representing Nigeria at the tournament, having been invited to a training camp prior to the championship, but Barcelona officials turned rejected the call up because the timing of the competition fell outside the FIFA window, allnigeriasoccer.com reports.

    “Congratulations to the national team U-23 of my country Nigeria for the qualification to the Olympics in Río 2016.‪#‎SENNGA ,” allnigeriasoccer.com quoted Ekpolo as saying on social media.

    The youngster has played 13 games for Barcelona B team this season.

    He captained the Barcelona side that won the UEFA Youth League in 2014.

  • Nigeria qualifies for Rio Olympics

    Nigeria qualifies for Rio Olympics

    … Pips hosts Senegal 1-0 in CAF tourney

    Nigeria’s Dream VI on Wednesday qualified for next year’s Olympic Games soccer event after defeating hosts Senegal 1-0 in the semi final of the CAF U-23 championship in Dakar.

    Etebo Oghenekharo’s 77th minute penalty separated the two West African nations in the match played at Leophold Senghor Stadium in Dakar, Senegal.

    Goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel was the hero for Nigeria after he  saved a Senegalese penalty in the first half stoppage time.

    Daniel was outstanding in goal and contributed hugely to his team’s success.

    Nigeria will play the winner of the second semi final between Algeria and South Africa in Saturday’s final in Dakar.

     

  • CAF U-23 championship: Awoniyi out of Senegal match

    CAF U-23 championship: Awoniyi out of Senegal match

    Germany-based striker, Taiwo Awoniyi, has been ruled out of Wednesday’s CAF U-23 championship semi-final against hosts Senegal in Dakar because of injury.

    The match, which will decide one of the tickets for next year’s Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil, will kick off at 4:00pm Nigerian time at the Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium in Dakar, with Nigeria also missing suspended skipper Azubuike Okechukwu and injured Stanley Dimgba.

    The Olympic Team Coach, Samson Siasia, disclosed that Awoniyi has now added to the team’s injury woes.

    “Two important players are out and (Taiwo) Awoniyi is also injured,” Siasia told africanFootball.com.

     

  • U-23 AFCON: Babayaro wishes Dream Team VI good outing

    U-23 AFCON: Babayaro wishes Dream Team VI good outing

    Former Nigeria International, Celestine Babayaro has wished the Dream Team VI a winning start in their bid to reach the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

    Babayaro, who helped Nigeria to its first Olympic gold medal in football at the Summer games in Atlanta, hailed his former teammate, Samson Siasia who has announced his 21-man list for the U-23 Afcon which gets underway this weekend, for his mental strength and ability to keep his team committed despite the many hiccups in their preparation for the competition.

    The former Chelsea and Newcastle defender hoped the Dream Team VI will put smiles on the faces of football fans in the country like the Golden Eagles securing Nigeria’s 5th U-17 World Cup title earlier this month.