By Harry Awurumibe, Editor-in -Chief, Abuja
Sports Minister Sunday Dare (middle) with Coach Yusuf (right); Nigeria legend Mutiu Adepoju (second left) and Oyo State Sports Commissioner, Hon. Seun Fakorede (second right) in Ibadan on Wednesday when the?Minister visited the Olympics Eagles during training.
Nigeria’s U-23 national team, Olympic Eagles on Thursday left Nigeria for Dar-es-Salaam, the capital of Tanzania for the first leg of the qualifying match for the 2023 U-23 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) which will serve as qualifiers for the 2024 Olympic Games football event.
This is even as Head Coach, Salisu Yusuf has expressed his optimistism that his wards will get a good result in the match billed for Benjamin Nkapa Stadium in Tanzania this weekend despite the short time he has to put the team together.
A delegation of 18 players and nine officials made up of Yusuf and some of assistants and the team secretary, Tayo Egbayelo, MON, departed to Tanzania through Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, on Thursday afternoon aboard Ethiopian Airline flight via Addis Ababa.
The team which has camped in Ibadan, Oyo state capital for less than two weeks played two test matches at their training ground at Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan against VIA Football Academy, Ibadan and later Shooting Stars Sports Club.
Yusuf who started the camp with the initial 32-man list had pruned it down while giving opportunity to young Nigerians in diaspora who can help the team to secure qualification for the U-23 AFCON proper.
However, the experienced gaffer who is also the 1st Assistant Coach of Super Eagles has decided to leave some of the invited players at home especially those plying their trade abroad in a bold step not to expose all that is in his armoury in Tanzania.
In his assessment after the last3SC friendly match against 3SC, Yusuf said, “It was a good match. It was the first game that gave us a real test and allowed us to experiment the squad.”
On the readiness of the team in the face of the changes to the squad, Salisu added, “We have to be ready despite the circumstances we find ourselves, we are trying to build a team with a positive mind and get the result we need against Tanzania. We have studied our opponents in videos and we have organised tactically on how to prosecutes to the games home and away.”
Meanwhile, Yusuf has wisely ordered his three assistant coaches who did not make the trip to Tanzania to continue daily training in Ibadan with no fewer than 12 players who joined the camp late due to travelling issues and clubs engagement.
OLYMPIC EAGLES FOR TANZANIA
Goalkeepers: Nathaniel Nwosu; John Amah
Defenders: Daniel Bamayi; Christopher Nwenze; Isaiah Ejeh; Dominion Ohaka; Evan Ogbonda; Michael Inainfe
Midfielders: Olashile Akinniran; Ibrahim Auwalu; Qudus Akanni; Oluwatimilehin Ogunniyi; Oluwapelumi Adeyemo
Forwards: Daniel Wotlai; Edidiong Ezekiel; Munir Idris; Success Makanjuola; Promise David.
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