Latest News
U23 AFCONQ: Ifeanyi Udeze tasks Olympic Eagles on teamwork against Guinea
By Wale Mustapha
Former Nigeria defender Ifeanyi Udeze has urged the Olympic Eagles to work as a team to achieve qualification to the CAF U23 Africa Cup of Nations ahead of second leg clash with Guinea in Morocco.
Salisu Yusuf’s side had played out a drab 0-0 draw in the first leg at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja and will aim to aim to upset the odds against the Guinea in Rabat to book their place at the U23 Afcon finals.
And the former international believes a well focused and united Olympic Eagles can silence the Guineans and qualify the country to the continental finals in Morocco.
“I have heard some of the U-23 players individually saying: ‘I will do my best in the return leg’,” Udeze told Brilla FM.
“That shouldn’t be the soundbite coming from the players. Football is a team sport. Rather, it should be about the team. They ought to be saying that having let the country down in the first leg at home, we shall do our best and ensure that we qualify for the competition in Morocco.
“We have made history at the Olympics. We won it as a country. With due respect to the Guineans, we shouldn’t be struggling to win such games.
“Before their match in Abuja, some of them were saying that they hoped that the Super Eagles would also win like them. Win yours first. Well, things didn’t turn out as they thought. But I just wish them the very best,” he concluded.
The U-23 Eagles will hope to join seven other African teams in Morocco where the top three teams will qualify for the football tournament of the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France.
Nigeria won the 1996 Football Olympics gold and finished second in 2008 when they were defeated in the final by a Lionel Messi- led Argentina.
Continue Reading
