U23 Afcon qualifiers: Salisu Yusuf confident of Olympic Eagles’ chance against Guinea 

By Wale Mustapha

Head coach Salisu Yusuf has expressed optimistic about Nigeria’s chance of getting a positive result against Guinea in the first leg of their 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture in Abuja on Wednesday.

After seeing off Uganda in the earlier stage, the Olympic Eagles will be seeking to upstage the Guineans over the two legs to qualify for the U23 AFCON tourney later in this year in Morocco.

Ahead of the home tie, the former Kano Pillars technical adviser has basked his team to earn a convincing first leg result in bid to make the return leg a formality.

“Though our preparation for this game did not go the way we wanted it, I believe we have done enough to get us a result,” Yusuf told media.

“We have tried to replace dropped players with some players from foreign leagues and I believe they will click and deliver on Wednesday.

“As of Sunday evening, eight of the invited overseas-based players have reported to the team’s camp and we have begun the process of bonding and blending them with players from the domestic league.

I think they will come good and get a good result. We shall find a way to beat them to their game and win here in Abuja.”

The 2023 AFCON in Morocco will also serve as the African qualifiers for the men’s football event of Paris 2024 Olympic Games.