Rio Olympics: Etebo scores 4 goals as Nigeria defeat Japan
Fri Aug 05, 2016 09:42:am Sports
2.5K By sosa hills
Nigeria's men's Olympic soccer team, Dream Team VI last night began its Olympic campaign on a winning note, defeating Japan 5-4 in Manaus after a harrowing travel experience, arriving the venue just 4 hours before the match.
Dream Team VI was stranded in Atlanta, USA for days in a National disgrace of a flight saga. Flights were cancelled because of shambolic arrangements by the Sports Ministry that even saw the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung deny being responsible for the welfare of the Players.
Dream Team VI landed in Manaus at 2:19 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, with the game against Japan beginning at 9 p.m, just a difference of 6 hours and 41 minutes.
Coming from the worst kind of preparation for a tournament, the Dream Team VI found the "never say die" spirit of the Nigerian, and buried Japan in a pulsating encounter that produced 9 goals.
Lanky Sadiq Umar drew first blood within five minutes, before Shinzo Koroki equalized moments later from the penalty spot. Man of the match Oghenakaro Etobo put obviously jet lagged Dream Team VI in front, only for Japan's Takumi Minamino to bring the Japanese level.
Oghenakaro Etebo put Nigeria back in front after 41 minutes, and completed a hat-trick in the fiftieth minute, and cooly slotting home his fourth of the match to make it 5-2 in the 65th minute.
Then another round of football drama began as tired Nigerian legs could not not keep up. Takuma Asano pulled one back for Japan with less than 20 minutes to go, and Musashi Suzuki narrowed the goal score to 5-4 with less than a few seconds to go.
It was all glory-glory for Nigeria and Dream Team VI as the match referee blew the whistle for full time, rounding up what was obviously an exhausting experience for the Nigerian players and Coaching crew and saved Nigeria from what would have been an International disgrace culminating from an incompetent Sports administration.
Dream Team VI was stranded in Atlanta, USA for days in a National disgrace of a flight saga. Flights were cancelled because of shambolic arrangements by the Sports Ministry that even saw the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung deny being responsible for the welfare of the Players.
Dream Team VI landed in Manaus at 2:19 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, with the game against Japan beginning at 9 p.m, just a difference of 6 hours and 41 minutes.
Coming from the worst kind of preparation for a tournament, the Dream Team VI found the "never say die" spirit of the Nigerian, and buried Japan in a pulsating encounter that produced 9 goals.
Lanky Sadiq Umar drew first blood within five minutes, before Shinzo Koroki equalized moments later from the penalty spot. Man of the match Oghenakaro Etobo put obviously jet lagged Dream Team VI in front, only for Japan's Takumi Minamino to bring the Japanese level.
Oghenakaro Etebo put Nigeria back in front after 41 minutes, and completed a hat-trick in the fiftieth minute, and cooly slotting home his fourth of the match to make it 5-2 in the 65th minute.
Then another round of football drama began as tired Nigerian legs could not not keep up. Takuma Asano pulled one back for Japan with less than 20 minutes to go, and Musashi Suzuki narrowed the goal score to 5-4 with less than a few seconds to go.
It was all glory-glory for Nigeria and Dream Team VI as the match referee blew the whistle for full time, rounding up what was obviously an exhausting experience for the Nigerian players and Coaching crew and saved Nigeria from what would have been an International disgrace culminating from an incompetent Sports administration.
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