Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Guardian Nigeria
Published on 2024-03-16 09:31:28
The Flying Eagles of Nigeria have been eliminated from the men’s football event of the 2023 African Games in Ghana following a 3-2 loss to Senegal. The match took place at the Accra Sports Stadium on Friday evening, where Charles Agada opened the scoring for Nigeria in the second minute. Senegal leveled the score in the 21st minute thanks to Idrissa Traore’s low shot. Chibuzor Izuogu then brought Nigeria back into the game with a brilliant free kick to make it 2-2. However, Pape Diouf scored the winning goal for Senegal from the penalty spot to secure their spot in the semifinals.
Overall, the Flying Eagles had a tough campaign in the tournament, managing only one win against South Sudan. They suffered a 2-1 defeat to Uganda in their opening match and were narrowly beaten 3-2 by Senegal. As a result, Nigeria finished third in their group behind Uganda and Senegal, with South Sudan ending in last place.
Following the disappointing result, the head coach expressed his frustration and attributed the team’s performance to inadequate preparation. He mentioned that due to time constraints, he was unable to scout for players extensively and had to rely on watching a few games in Uyo and other locations. It was during this scouting process that he identified two Enyimba players, Daga and Chibueze, who made an impact in the tournament.
It is worth noting that Nigeria had won the silver medal in men’s football at the previous African Games in Rabat, Morocco in 2019. They faced a 2-0 defeat to Burkina Faso in the final, but their performance in that competition was commendable.
Overall, the Flying Eagles’ journey in the 2023 African Games came to an end sooner than expected. Despite showing glimpses of their potential in certain matches, inconsistency and lack of preparation ultimately contributed to their early exit from the tournament. Moving forward, there will be lessons to be learned and improvements to be made in order to enhance their performance in future competitions.
