By Daily Sports Nigeria on October 28, 2022

It will be a disaster if U-23 Eagles fail, says Ugbade
• As Oyo promises support for Eagles

The fear of a possible exit from the qualifying series of the France 2024 Olympic Games has gripped officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), as the National U-23 team face Tanzania this weekend, in the return leg of African zone of the qualifiers. The match will hold at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan.

Though, the Nigerian side, led by coach Yusuf Salisu, were forced to a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Tanzania, some officials of the NFF are afraid that anything can happen in Ibadan. The winners in this return leg will qualify for the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations holding in Morocco next year.

Coming on the heels of the country’s semifinal defeat at the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup in India, an NFF official told The Guardian, yesterday, that the ‘usual poor tactics and uncoordinated’ pattern of football displayed by Nigerian national teams in recent times should be a cause for concern to everyone.

“Ordinarily, our team has an advantage having secured a 1-1 draw away in Tanzania. But nobody wants to bank on that until the job is done. I still remember what happened to the Super Eagles in Abuja during the World Cup qualifiers against the Black Stars of Ghana. The same thing happened to the Super Falcons at the African Women’s Nations Cup in Morocco. The Flamingos raised our hopes in India after beating the United States in the quarterfinal,” the official said.

FORMER Golden Eaglets coach, Nduka Ugbade, has warned the players not to underestimate their opponents.

Speaking with sports247, yesterday, Ugbade admitted that the Tanzanian team is not a threat to Nigeria, warning, however, that they must not be underrated.

“Obviously, Tanzania are not our rival, as far as football is concerned in Africa, but the players should not be too complacent against their opponents. They should go out there and make the country proud. We had a good result in the first leg and they should make sure that they win in Ibadan.

“They should take their chances and possibly bury the match in the first half. It would be a disaster if we fail to qualify for U-23 Africa Cup of Nations at the end of the second leg,” Ugbade said.

MEANWHILE, Oyo State government and its Football Association (FA) have stated their readiness to host the second leg of the France 2024 Olympics qualifier between Nigeria and Tanzania counterpart, tomorrow, at the remodelled Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan.

The state’s Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Seun Fakorede and the FA Secretary, Kehinde Ojelowo, stressed that the state is about to witness yet another milestone.

Fakorede said: “This administration has on several occasions assured of commitment to ensure that the fortunes of the state and citizens experience positive change, especially in relation to activities, which directly affect the social and economic life of the people of this State.

“It was just yesterday when the iconic Lekan Salami Sports Complex received a beautiful facelift, after 44 years of neglect and abandonment by preceding administrations, to open up new opportunities for our people to generate money and enhance value.

“This administration, thus far, has achieved the unprecedented remodelling of the stadium to an enviable world class international standard.

“Also, we are about to witness another record-breaking achievement in this administration in the hosting of the U-23 Olympics qualifying match happening before our very eyes after almost 30 years of the dearth of international engagements on the soil of Salami Sports Complex.

“We are, therefore, calling on all football-loving citizens to come en masse to witness the epoch-making event and give our darling Under 23 Olympic team overwhelming and rousing support to victory.”

“I also wish to take this opportunity to charge members of the public to cooperate with the officials, it is essential that the people should demonstrate patriotism and understanding before, during and after the match. This, if we do, will enable us to witness the hosting of more international competitions in the state.”

Source The Guardian Nigeria

Posted October 28, 2022

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