Nigeria’s Olympics football team, the Dream Team VI, in the wee hours of Monday pipped their Swedish counterparts by a lone goal in the second match of their group at the ongoing Rio 2016 Olympics male football event.
AS Roma striker, Sadiq Umar, scored the only goal of the encounter in the 40th minute with a sublime header.
Just before the goal, the duo of Oghenekaro Etebo and Umar had missed several goal scoring opportunities as frustration grew in the game.
Sweden’s defender, Adam Lundqvist, almost scored an own goal but the goalkeeper came to the rescue to keep the margin slim.
Dream Team VI captain, Mikel Obi, came close netting the second goal of the night with a 20-yard blinder, but his effort was blocked by the Swedish goalkeeper.
Etebo was also denied his fifth goal as the Swede goalie, Andreas Linde, parried to the corner the midfielder’s curling shot.
With six points in the kitty, Nigeria looks good to finish tops in Group B and may face another African opposition, South Africa, at the Fonte Nova Arena in Salvador in the quarterfinals stage of the competition.
As at press time, the South Africans were still battling Denmark for the second spot in Group A.
Both countries have picked two points from two group games.
The Nigerian side will play their final group game against Colombia at the Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo on Wednesday evening.