The Nigerian Dream Team claimed victory to feature at the Rio
2016 Olympics as African champions after defeating Algeria 2-1 in the final of
the African U23 championship played at the Stade Leopold Sedar Senghor on
Saturday night, 12 December, 2015.
Etebo Oghenekaro’s first half goals were enough to separate the two
teams and give Samson Siasia’s lads the African crown for the first time
Etebo Oghenekaro, the competition’s top scorer repeated his
fluency and brilliance in front of goal as he scored the goals that handed the
Dream Team VI their first Africa U23 diadem.
It was the first time Nigeria had conceded in the first half
of the competition but it came to a bitter pill to swallow for Pierre Andre
Schurmann’s team who failed to convert their chances in both halves.
Victor Osimhen passed up a glorious chance in the first
minute of the game and the 16-year-old also had couples of chances thrown away.
Ayoub Abdellaoui conceded a penalty after forcing down Etebo
who raced through his markers to the goal area of the Algerians. The Warri
Wolves stepped up, oozed with confidence, then sent Salhi the wrong way for his
side’s opener.
Les Fennecs’ quest for the equaliser yielded dividends on the
hour mark when hard-pressed Oduduwa headed home a cross from the right
by Ferhat into his own net.
Five minutes to the half time break, Etebo
restored Nigeria’s lead with a fine finish after making a
mess of the
opponent’s backline with his terrific speed.
Etebo drilled a second half free-kick into the defensive
wall, prompting an Algeria break on which Chita shot across the face of goal.
Nigeria could have run away with
the two goals but for an own goal by Oduduwa Segun Tope whose defensive blunder
saw him nodding home into his net a Zinedine Ferhat's dangerous cross from the
right. This gave the Algerians their only goal of the crucial final.
Samson Siasia's men will also be grateful to
goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel, who saved Zinedine Ferhat's penalty in the second
half.
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