Tag: Dream Team

Kwara United of Ilorin winger, Chukwudi Esobe has expressed delight over his invitation to the Dream Team camp even as he vowed to work hard to make the final list

It would be recalled that Nigeria U-23 National Team handler Samson Siasia released a 30-man list on Friday, October 10, for the forthcoming CAF  U-23 Championship in Senegal.

The Harmony Boys winger, who was impressive against Lobi Stars on Sunday, opined that having an opportunity to represent the country is a dream come true.

“I am delighted to have received the attention of the U-23 technical crew because there are plenty of good players in the country”

“I want to thank my team (Kwara United), for the opportunity given to me to play at the Premier League level.

“I will try my best to make the final list because I know it is going to be tough but since getting here is tough, I am sure to finish the job.

“I want to also thank my teammates because they contributed in making this possible,” he enthused and expressed hope that the experience he will eventually gather from the national team will rub off positively on the Afonja Warriors.

The Harmony Boys playmaker is optimistic that his team will survive the drop and retain its status in the league.

“We want to put in our best in the remaining league games to make sure we remain in the league at the end of the current season.

“You can see from our last two away games that we lost narrowly. I am sure we will get something good from our two remaining away matches while hoping to pick maximum points from our three remaining home matches,” he added

SportingLife has scooped that the Nigeria U-23 players and officials will resume on Monday in  Abuja for the start of preparation for the CAF U-23 Championship slated for Senegal which serves as the Rio 2016 Olympic Games qualifier.

The Dream Team VI under the guide of Samson Siasia are in Group B alongside Egypt, Algeria and Mali and with the competition starting from November 28 to December 12, the need for them to begin the build up to the championship has been stressed.

The Assistant Coach of the team, Fatai Folorunsho Amoo told SportingLife that the players are expected in camp in Abuja on Monday so that the preparation for the competition will start without further delay.

“We will be in camp as from Monday for the start of preparation and we are all set to ensure that Nigerians are better represented in Senegal after the way we played in Congo,” Amoo told SportingLife.

The U-23 placed third at the African Games in Congo after they were humiliated 3-1 by Burkina Faso in the semi final before they saved their blushes with a bronze medal at the expense of hosts, Congo whom they beat after penalty kicks.

Only the top three countries will represent Africa in Rio 2016 Olympics after the championship in Senegal.

REVELATIONS have emerged from Brazzaville following the fallout of Nigeria’s defeat to Burkina Faso at the African Games and the subsequently reaction of the Coach; who laid it in for his players, that the U-23 team have had to wash their own jerseys after games.

Reports gathered from some of the players suggest there’s been a significant breakdown of professional codes which some say could have prompted the team’s woeful performance in the semi-final defeat to the Burkinabe.

Debunking the claims, 1st Vice President of the NFF, Barr. Seyi Akinwunmi told www.footballlive.ng that it was a ridiculous tale.

“It’s very ridiculous how can players wash their own jerseys, I’ve never heard any such thing.”

Nigeria’s Dream Team VI will be without three players led by skipper Azubuike Okechukwu when they face Congo today in the bronze medal game at the All Africa Games (AAG) football event.

According to the team’s media officer, Timi Ebikagboro, the players – captain Azubuike, Umar Aminu and Ndifreke Effiong – are out due to injury

“Dream team loses three players, capt Azubuike, Aminu and Ndifreke due to injury in tomorrow’s third place game against host Congo at the AAG,” Ebikagboro announced on Twitter.

Nigeria surprisingly lost 3-1 to Burkina Faso in the semi-final, while hosts Congo bowed to Senegal by the same score.

Nigeria U-23 team, the Dream Team VI Tuesday failed in their bid to play in the finals of the All Africa Games football event following a 3-1 loss to Burkina Fasso.

The Samson Siasia tutored side appeared to have woken up on the wrong side of the bed as their woes started very early with the first goal conceded very early in the game  no thanks to Sydney Sylla in the 11th minute.

The Burkinabes other goals came from Omar Kabore in the 73rd minute and Arba Dicko in the 78th minute. The only consolation goal for the Dream Team came in the 75th minute through Daniel Etor but it was not enough to remedy the situation.

Burkina Faso’s U-23 emerged as the semi-final opponents for Nigeria after a forced lucky dip on Monday saw them becoming the runners up in Group A ahead of Sudan.

[ad id=”403656″]Both Burkina Faso and Sudan had scored and conceded two goals in their first two Group A outings before playing a goalless draw in their final tie on Sunday, to finish  level on four points apiece, two adrift of hosts and group leaders Congo.

Siasia and his boys will now play Congo in a third place encounter billed for September 17 while Senegal will face Burkina Fasso in the final on September 18.

In the ladies category,  the Falcons failed to rise above Cameroon losing 2-1 to their opponents.  The Cameroonian goals came from Therese Abena in the 10th minute followed by that of Madeleine Ngo four minutes later while the only consolation goal for the Falcons came through Onome Ebi in the 48th minute.

Nigeria U-23 team, Dream Team VI, will fly out of the country for the All Africa Games on Monday, officials have announced.

The team, who are drawn in Group B alongside Ghana and Senegal after Egypt pulled out, will be made up of players from domestic league after overseas clubs refused to release players for the competition to be staged in Congo Brazzaville.

Only skipper Azubuike Okechukwu and Umar Aminu, who are both based in Turkey, have confirmed their availability for the tournament, while the European clubs of Godwin Saviour and Shehu Abdullahi have turned down the request of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for the players to be released.

Dream Team under the tutelage of coach Samson Siasia are expected to use this tournament to prepare for the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations in Senegal in November, which will be the qualifying series for the 2016 Rio Olympics.