Izuchukwu Okosi
Nigeria’s U-23 Eagles on Tuesday evening lost 2-0 to Guinea in the final round of qualifiers for this year’s U-23 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The defeat which secures qualification to the CAF U-23 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco for the Gunieans at Nigeria’s expense means Nigeria’s flag will not be hoisted at the football event of the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
The Nigeria U-23 side were held to a scoreless draw in the first leg of the ties last week Wednesday at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja.
Second half goals on Tuesday from Algassime Bah and Alseny Soumah in the 62nd and 75th minutes respectively sealed the qualification for Guinea in the second leg game played in Rabat, Morocco on Tuesday.
The Nigerian side also failed to qualify for the 2020 football tournament of the Olympiad after a bronze medal finish in 2016.
Salisu Yusuf was also in charge of the Nigerian home-based Super Eagles side that failed to qualify for the 2023 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN).
The former Kano Pillars coach finished 7th with Rangers International of Enugu when he was in charge of the 2016 Nigeria Premier Football League and oversaw Kano Pillars’ relegation from the topflight.
Nigeria became the first African and black dominated nation to win the football event of the Olympics in 1996 when they beat Argentina 2-1 in the final.
Nigeria were runners up in 2008 when a hugely talented Nigerian side lost 1-0 to Argentina with Lionel Messi in the squad in the final.
The 2023 U-23 AFCON will hold in Morocco between 24 June and 8 July 2023.
The top three teams of the tournament will qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympic men’s football tournament in Paris.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
