Nigeria not favourites against Japan @ Olympics

Nigeria U-23 team

The Nigerian U-23 team football team to the 2016 Olympic Games have been in the news for the past 48 hours for all the wrong reasons, and when they walk into the Arena da Amazônia in Manaus to take on Japan there will be no favourites tag for the Samson Siasia-led team.

The Dream Team VI are African Champions. They are statistically favourites to win their opening match on Friday – against Japan, who won the U-23 AFC on the back of a rollercoaster performance against Macau, Vietnam and Malaysia, scoring 10 goals without conceding.

But Nigeria, after an embarrassing delay in Atlanta where the team went for preparations ahead of the competition, will arrive Brazil hours before the game against an Asian side known for their fast-paced football.

The two victories Nigeria had against the Japanese in the 1996 Olympics at Atlanta (2-0) and Beijing 2008 (2-1) may be nothing but statistics. The Samurai Blue can just pull a repeat of the Mexico 1998 Games where they trounced the Nigerians 3-1.

Still, Nigeria are no pushovers. With the experience of skipper John Mikel Obi in the midfield and goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, the Dream Team can stop the forays of the Asians.

Turkish Yeni Malatyaspor’s winger Azubuike Okechukwu, 19, also offers much needed expertise in front having won 19 international caps for his country.

Arsenal’s 21-year-old striker Takuma Asano will lead Japan’s strike force beside Urawa Red Diamonds’ Shinzo Koroki and defenders Hiroki Fujiharu and Tsukasa Shiotani.