Olympic Eagles will be facing up against the Young Elephants of Guinea for the third time ever to secure final qualification to the U-23 Africa Cup of nations in Morocco and to also book a ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Their last meeting was in 1995 at the African Games in Harare in Zimbabwe. They met in the third/fourth playoff of the competition and played a 1-1 draw. Nigeria won the eventual penalty shootout by 4-1. They also met earlier in the competition, in the group stage which ended in a 1-0 victory for the Guineans.
Both teams will lock horns again on Wednesday in order to earn qualification for the U23 AFCON and for latter the football event of the Olympics in Paris next year.
The first leg match was originally scheduled for Ibadan but has now been moved to Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja on the 43rd anniversary of Nigeria’s first Africa Cup of Nations triumph.
The Olympic Eagles had already defeated the Tanzania U23 team 3-1 on aggregate in October 2022, winning 2-0 at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan after both teams stalemated the first leg in Dar es Salaam at 1-1 to reach this stage while their opponents, Guinea U23 qualified after the Uganda U23 pulled out of the qualification competition because of inadequate funds.
The winner over two legs between Nigeria and Guinea will progress to the finals of the U23 AFCON slated to be hosted by Morocco later in the year. It is also at the tournament in Morocco that Africa’s representatives at next year’s Men’s Olympic Football Tournament in Paris will emerge.
The return leg against the Young Elephants will be in Morocco on Monday, 27th March.
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