Sports ministry secures campsite for Olympics games
By Rasheed Adewuyi
Nigeria’s federal ministry of youth and sports development has secured a campsite for the U23 men’s national team or Olympic Eagles for their qualifying play for the Africa U23 Cup of Nations against Tanzanian this month, according to a communique from the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF.
The ministry is responsible for camping and prosecuting qualifying games of the U23 men and women teams for the Olympic and All African games. Still, the President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, thanked the ministry for securing the camp, which will help the Olympic Eagles prepare for their qualifying joust.
Tanzania hosts the first leg of the contest in the weekend of 21st – 23rd October and travels to Nigeria to reciprocate the return leg duel on Saturday, 29th October. The NFF has announced the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan, as the venue for the return leg.
Head Coach Salisu Yusuf has called up 32 players to report for camping in the Oyo State capital this weekend.
Nigeria won the Africa U23 Cup of Nations in Senegal in 2015 and the bronze medal at the Olympic Men’s football tournament in Brazil the subsequent year. However, the class of 2019 U23 Eagles did not make it to the knockout stage in Egypt and therefore failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics last year.
Nigeria won the men’s Olympics football gold medal in Atlanta, the USA, in 1996 and followed up that feat by winning silver in the event in Beijing, China, 12 years later.
