Nigeria’s Dream Team will be one of the eight finalists at the 2nd African U-23 Championship in Senegal later in the year after securing a 0-0 draw against Congo-Brazzaville in Pointe-Noire on Sunday.
Samson Siasia’s wards won the first leg 2-1 and thus qualify for the finals in Senegal.
A tough game that it was expected to be, the Nigerians gave no inch to the home team right from the blast of the whistle and looked the more likely to get a goal after four corner kicks inside the first half hour.
But the Congolese held on.
The aggregate victory means Nigeria can continue its quest for a seventh appearance at the Men’s Football Tournament of the Olympics, since first turning out at the 1968 Games in Mexico City.
The President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, immediately saluted the team.
Pinnick said: “Personally, I am very excited. From the way the boys played in the first leg, I never doubted their ability to qualify. The NFF is proud of the team and will ensure that the team adequately prepares for the African Championship.”
Nigeria joins host Senegal, Algeria, Zambia, Egypt, South Africa and Tunisia in the finals to be staged November 28 to December 11.
The top three teams will fly Africa’s flag at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro next year.
A fourth team will play off against an Asian team.