Amokachi reflects on Atlanta 96 heroics News

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Amokachi reflects on Atlanta 96 heroics

By Daily Sports on August 4, 2016

Daniel Amokachi has listed maturity; character and attitude as key ingredients that helped Nigeria win the 1996 Olympics football gold medal.

Goals from Celestine Babayaro, Amokachi and Emmanuel Amuneke were all Jo Bonfrere’s lads needed to bring down Argentina in the final played on August 3, 1996.

Victory for the Dream Team at the Sanford Stadium, Atlanta ensured Nigeria became the first African country to win a football gold at the competition, and Amokachi beamed his mind back to the victory 20 years ago.

“It was the manner in which we won the competition that made us incredibly happy,” Amokachi told Fifa.com.

“We always seemed to come back from behind in games – and against top opposition. We played the giants of North and South America; Mexico in the quarter-final, Brazil in the semi-final and beat Argentina in the final.

“I had a wonderful tournament. My coach, Jo Bonfrere, said to me: ‘To really show your ability, you need to score. You’re doing everything right, you’re working hard for the team, creating chances for the team and if you can get a goal in the final, that would make you stand above the rest.’ I ended up scoring in the final which contributed in helping us win that gold medal.”

He also revealed that the team’s defining attribute was unity as the team rallied around coach Bonfrere when they felt was to be axed shortly before the tournament started.

“The character, maturity and mentality of us all is what made us into champions,” he continued.

“The love that we had for each other made it possible because we were one strong family. I remember when the (Nigerian) FA were unhappy with Jo Bonfrere and they decided to bring in another coach and lay him off just a couple of days before the Olympics.

"We were already in America and as a team we said: ‘If you’re sending him away, then you’ll need to find new players.’ That spirit alone showed and made us believe that we were all in this together and that it would make us into champions,” he concluded.

•Sourced from goal.com. Photo shows the victorious Atlanta '96 team

Source Daily Sports

Posted August 4, 2016