Nigeria beat Algeria 2-1 in Dakar, Senegal to win the Under 23 Africa Cup of Nations as South Africa took the remaining Olympic spot with a 3-1 penalties win over hosts Senegal in the third place play-off match.
Nigeria took the lead in the final against Algeria, thanks to a 14th minute penalty from captain Peter Etebo.
Just 16 minutes later, Algeria were level when Oduduwa Segun Tope scored an own-goal.
Moments later, the Samson Siasia lads took what proved to be a decisive lead, as Etebo again struck – this time in open play – to put Nigeria 2-1 up.
Algeria missed a key opportunity to draw level in the second half.
USM Alger’s Zinedine Ferhat had a penalty saved by Nigeria’s goalkeeper, Daniel Emmanuel, in the 68th minute.
Nigeria held on to win 2-1 to lift the trophy and take their place in Rio as African champions.
Nigeria boasts a proud Olympics record.
They made Olympic football history in 1996 by becoming the first African and non-European and South American team to win the gold medal.
They also finished runners-up at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where the current under-23 Coach, Siasia, also coached the ‘Dream Team’ in China.
The Dream Team V, led by Austin Eguavoen, failed to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics after crashing out in the group stages of the 2011 U-23 championship in Morocco.
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