Nigeria’s Olympic Eagles lost their first group game at the ongoing CAF U23 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt on Saturday, November 9, 2019.
A 1-0 defeat to Cote d’Ivoire has left the Nigerian team at the bottom of Group B at the continental tournament, which also serves as qualifiers for the men’s football event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in Japan. Both West African teams came into the encounter with high hopes of getting all three points, but it was the Ivoirians who ran out victors in a game that saw a lot of chances missed by both sides especially in the first 45 minutes of the match.
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Defending champions, Nigeria, were favourites for the West African derby, but a defensive slip midway into the second half gifted the Ivoirians all three points, leaving them top of a group that also comprise Zambia and South Africa. A foul from Nigerian defender, Olisah Harold Ndah, in the 18-yard box would see him sent off in the 70th minute before Cote d’Ivoire’s Silas Gnaka converted the resulting penalty into a goal in the 71st minute to hand the Elephants victory.
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Coach Imama Amapakabo‘s Eagles registered a total of 13 shots with two on target but found it difficult to break through the defense of their fellow West African opponents. Nigeria now needs to beat Zambia and South Africa, who played out a goalless draw, to stand a good chance of advancing into the semi-final phase of the tournament.
Source:
AllAfrica
Featured Image Source: Jive Naija
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