Olympic Eagles head coach Imama Amapakabo has named captain Azubuike Okechukwu, Taiwo Awoniyi and Orji Okonkwo in his starting line-up for tonight’s make or mar U-23 AFCON 2019 Group B clash against Zambia, reports Completesports.com.
Amapakabo dropped Muyiwa Olabiran and Bright Enokhbare from the side that lost to Cote d’lvoire last Saturday, while Valentine Ozornwafor took the place of suspended Olisah Ndah who bagged a red card in the game.
Ozornwafor will be joined in defence by Sincere Seth, Stephen Bitok and Anthony Izuchukwu.
Captain Okechukwu will feature in midfield along with Kelechi Nwakali and Ndifreke Effiong.
Taiwo will lead the attack and will be flanked by Sunusi Ibrahim and Okonkwo.
The match will kick off at 7pm Nigerian time.
Olympic Eagles 1X Vs Zambia
Abubakar Adamu – Sincere Seth, Stephen Bitok, Anthony Izuchukwu, Valentine Ozornwafor – Okechukwu Azubuike (Captain), Ndifreke Effiong, Kelechi Nwakali – Sunusi Ibrahim, Taiwo Awoniyi, Orji Okwonkwo
By Adeboye Amosu
28 Comments
Time to go and purchase a big bucket, imama will rain today.zambia pls don’t spell Nigeria but u guys can spell imama
This is Dream Team last chance. They’ve got a very strong attack and midfield, but it remains to be seen if they’ll be able to play as a unit with the likes of foreign stars like Orji Okoronkwo, Azubuike, Awoniyi and a host of others. Just hope the arrival of the players who missed the first game is able to inspire the team to victory against a stubborn Zambia side, who are more organised presumably.
I sincerely wish the team victory and a better outing at the end of today’s game. I’m quite excited about the prospect of seeing Azubuike, who’s adjudged the best passer of the ball made team after missing the first game following club commitment. It’s also hoped that the defence and the rest of the team bring in their A game as anything short 3 points would sound a death knell to the Dream team’s hopes of representing Nigeria at the soccer event in Japan next Olympic. This is the time for Awoniyi to redeem himself and prove he’s the top marksman for the side; hopefully he should get enough supply of ammunition from vast improved Orji Okronkwo and homeboy Sunusi Ibrahim. Quite assuredly the midfield trio of Azubuike, Ndifreke Effiong and Nwakali will take the battle to the Zambians from the middle of the pack
The passing and pull put from our players is too poor I am becoming too sad of Nigerian football of a late. The game is very boring
Who’s this no5 who took this guy to this tournament, wow this pregnant guy will ruin Naija today. I swear god will punish Imama for assembling these bunch of ugly clueless players. Very slow, no skills, guys this’s the worst Nigeria team in history
Nigeria already down 1. it could have been 2 even. only 12 mins played. They are playing alot better tho.
Orji okonkwo should find some other profession as he is too stiff. plays like a robot. The zambian parent giving us any time on d ball.
goal for 9ja. awoniyi scores for 9ja
Zambia 1 Nigeria 1, how imama got this job
sorry it was orji okonkwo. eating sweet humble pie lol
Our football o….chai. Well we’ve equalized sha but i cant understand why our guys cant stay on their feet. Same thing was happening to our eaglets and flying eagles. Always slipping and falling down without being able to control the ball at their feet
Who’s this fat chubby no8 lol Wahala Dey ooo Naija playing like this. What a sad day for Nigeria soccer, some of these clueless players are not even fit, poor touches, poor ball controls, Daka and Sakala just toying with them
Just wondering why a player like musa yahaya hasn’t been considered for dis u23. He is such a talent that can play as a winger or a wingback. these coaches should waste dat boy. where is David enogela and idowu. so we are just letting these boys fade to obscurity.
Please where can one watch the matcj
Here’s the plain old truth, we suck. Our footballers are lacking in fundamental techniques of ball control, awareness and team play. The individual brilliance we once could count on has disappeared. This is apparent all the way down the ranks to our u-17 teams.
Let me ask anyone in this forum to tell me the last time you watched a nigerian youth team play a tournament match and were left satisfied with the display. Its been like this now since 2015. We can cry about selection corruption, coaching and all other excuses but the bottomline is that we have been playing crap football.
The super eagles are the only ones playing well but a ton of those guys are either european born or trained
@Lord AMO, so true. The last time I watched a Nigerian youth team and was proud was in 2015 (Fifa U17 World Cup final vs Mali). Chai! What am I watching!? See Awoniyi. See Nwakali. Our only team atm is the SE. Corruption has eaten deep into our football/player selection. I can imagine players like Osimhen, Chukwueze, Awaziem & Uzoho added to this team and handled by Rohr or Amuneke. The difference will be magical. The question is can this present team even qualify so the super U23 team can take over?
@Lord AMO, so true. The last time I watched a Nigerian youth team and was proud was in 2015 (Fifa U17 World Cup final vs Mali). Chai! What am I watching!? See Awoniyi. See Nwakali. Our only team atm is the SE. Corruption has eaten deep into our football/player selection. I can imagine players like Osimhen, Chukwueze, Awaziem & Uzoho added to this team and handled by Rohr or Amuneke. The difference will be magical. The question is can this present team even qualify so the super U23 team can take over? Heard SA best CIV and so currently topping with 4 points. It means this match is make or mar.
Scores now?
1-1
2-1 with 10 minutes left. Nwakali won and scored the freekick that gave us the lead. Much better spirit this half but truth is the play is disjointed and lacking in quality
how many mins left?
2nd half about to kickoff
Any link to watch the match
Any link pls?
Hahahahaha!!! Thatx the irony of Life_
na waoo the people watching the match are complaining it’s making them sick to their stomach while some others are dieing to watch it’
Now dtx patriotism`
@Lord Amo, so do you think our pay and play coaches are selecting players based on merits, Siasia and Amunike won laurels with the right selections, you and ur likes should shift ur blames on the corrupt coaches, poor scouting and imposition of players by top officials. Aigbogun, Imama and Garba these three axis of corruption are just the poster boys of our corrupt country.
@SunnyB, me and my likes lol. Corruption is definitely part of the problem but i think most here have acknowledged that. However most will also acknowledge that despite the ever present corruption, we have somehow managed to play good football. Look however you want to spin it, the averaged Nigerian groomed player is lacking the qualities i outlined.
Is it corruption causing all our continental teams to be knocked out early on a consistent basis? To trap ball na wahala, to cross ball na headache, midfielder can’t give simple passes, and defenders don’t understand where the dangerous space is or where the striker is. This is a fundamental problem that needs to be addressed from the grassroots and yes corruption is part of the problem but not there are others too which need to be holistically addressed
3-1 Naija. Awoniyi with a goal at the death as the Zambians were caught upfield looking for the equalizer. 3 points secured
Better 2nd half from 9ja. This group is indeed the group of death. it’s now wide open with SA slightly ahead. Every team has all to play for making d last group game a critical for all teams lol Lije someone said already our defenders don’t recognize where the threats are and also who teams danger men are. I have noticed this as well in d u17. lack of concentration and awareness is causing us early goals. Against SA we have to be alert to d ball and try to stop d bafana bafana from being 1st to d ball as they are very fast. Their #11 Singh must be closely marked. Bitok has his work cut out. The SA boys are fast so we should be watchful. I still believe this team will keep improving. correct some minor mistakes and they might just pip SA and get to d semis. Did anyone see how imana was thanking God, the pressure of coaching dis team is too great on him. if I were him I will quit after this competition and just focus on club football.