Ifeanyi Emmanuel: Olympic Eagles goalkeeper upbeat about victory against Guinea

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

As Nigeria Olympic national team gets set to take on Guinea in the final Qualifying Round for the 2023 CAF U-23 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) which serves as the qualifiers for Paris 2024 Olympics football tournament for men, goalkeeper of the team, Ifeanyi Emmanuel is confident of victory against Guinea.

The goalkeeper is expressing optimism as Nigeria attempt to fly past Guinea to reach the U-23 AFCON.

“I believe we can do it. Our main job is to win, and make Nigeria, and my club proud. I have to give more than I gave in previous engagements in camp,” Emmanuel told Brila FM.

“We just have to keep on working and face the future against Guinea which we believe with God that gave us victory against Tanzania, we will come out strong against Guinea.”

Nigeria U-23 team defeated Tanzania 3-1 to make it to the final round of Qualifiers where it will face Guinea. A victory over Guinea next year in the final round of Qualifiers will seal a spot at next year’s U-23 AFCON in Morocco.

Nigeria didn’t qualify for the last Olympics in Tokyo last year after a bronze medal feat at the Rio 2016 Olympics under the leadership of former Chelsea FC midfielder, John Obi Mikel.

The team is the only African side to have won gold, silver, and bronze medals at the football event of the Olympics, having won gold medal at Atlanta 1996, silver medal at Beijing 2008, and a bronze medal at Rio 2016.