Football enthusiasts in Enugu have hailed the Olympic Eagles 2-0 victory against Tanzania to reach the final qualifying round of the 2023 African Cup of Nation (AFCON) in Morocco.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that, Alhasan Yusuf and Success Makanjuola sealed the win for Nigeria in the 61st and 69th minute at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan.
With the result, Nigeria is through to the final round of the qualifying series with a 3-1 aggregate after 1-1 draw in Tanzania a fortnight ago.
Some football enthusiasts, who spoke to NAN in Enugu on Saturday shortly after the match, said that the players made their day by reaching the next round of the qualifier.
Norbert Okolie, Rangers FC media officer, said that the players showed good team work and hunger to advance to the next stage of the competition.
“Olympic Eagles gave a good account of themselves, because the Tanzania Under-23 is not a pushover team in Africa,” he said.
Okolie called on the technical crew to beef up the team before the next round of the qualifier to ensure that the team participates in the AFCON tournament.
“Congratulations to the players and the coaching crew but we are still not there. Let the players not relax, because the next round may be tougher,”Okolie said.
Ikechukwu Okoronkwo, a former Nigerian boxer, said that the team should not have waited till the second leg to beat Tanzania.
The players played well in Tanzania but could not finish the game over there. Our strikers need to be prolific in front of goal to avoid being kicked out in the next round.
“Nigeria Olympic team has given us more excitement and that is what I expected any Olympic team to hold on to and to keep the memory of the 1996 Olympic flaying,” Okoronkwo said.
Nana Bonsu, a Ghanaian goalkeeper, who played for Rangers International FC of Enugu, described the result as a morale booster for the team going into the next round of qualifier.
“It is good, because they have qualified for the next round and I have been praying for their success.
“This is just the beginning, I pray the team reaches the final and put smiles on the face of their supporters in the country and all over the world,” Bonsu said.
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