Nigeria/Tanzania: Country’s ‘Dream Team’ Advances in Olympic Qualifier

Ismaila Lere

20 June 2011

Nigeria’s Under-23 team have progressed to the final qualifying rounds of the football event of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Goals from Ekigho Ehiosun, Ganiyu Oseni and Ahmed Musa gave Nigeria a 3-0 victory over Tanzania’s Vijana stars at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium yesterday.

The Nigerian team otherwise known as “Dream Team V” thus progressed on a 3-1 aggregate after Emmanuel Ulimwengu’s strike in the first leg had given the East Africans a shock advantage from the first meeting in Dar es Salaam a forth night ago.

The Tanzanians had earlier shocked 2000 Olympic champions, Cameroun but any talk of another surprise result on the cards was quickly dispelled as intelligent forward, Ehiosun headed powerfully off Lukman Haruna’s corner in the 5th minute as Nigeria quickly leveled the aggregate scores.

The Vijana stars shook off that early disappointment and kept the Nigerians at bay for the rest of the half. They even created some opportunities of their own, notably through the Nigerian-born Ulimwengu whose pace and intelligence caused the Nigerian backline loads of problems.

Nigeria’s defence however stayed disciplined and effectively dealt with the sporadic Tanzanian forays as the half progressed.

Nigeria’s Coach, Austin Eguavoen surprisingly left AC Milan’s Nnamdi Oduamadi on the bench and only brought in the Milanista shortly before the interval after an injury to Omatsone Aluko.

And the lanky winger proved his worth in the second period as his deft touches and electrifying runs opened up gaps and gave his teammates lots of options.

It didn’t take long for Nigeria to double their advantage and it was striker, Ganiyu Oseni who got the goal: a simple tap in from six yards in the 54th minute after Ehiosun’s good work on the right.

Tanzania then took control, in the knowledge that an away goal would swing the tide back in their favour. Ulimwengu was at the forefront of the charge while substitute, Issa Rshid also came close.

Nigeria was however the better side and it would have represented a heresy if the East Africans had progressed instead. The West Africans made sure of their passage onto the next round with a third goal which exemplified their performance on the night.

Dazzling winger, Musa, who had worked so hard all evening, rounded off the keeper before applying a simple finish two minutes into second half added time after more good work from Man off the match, Ehiosun who staved off the attentions of four Tanzanians before providing the assist.

‘I am very happy with my performance and more importantly, that of the team.

“We are grateful to God, the fans and all who supported us. Hopefully, we will do even more in the next round and put more smiles on the faces of Nigerians,” the Warri Wolves Man told SuperSport.com afterwards.

Nigeria now joins Egypt, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and the winners of the Gabon/Mali tie in the final phase of qualifying for the 2012 Olympics.

The playoffs will be staged in a country of one of the qualified teams, with two groups with four teams, dates provisionally set as 2-18 December 2011.

With Agency Reports

AllAfrica – All the Time