Imoh Ezekiel dribbled brilliantly from the right before unleashing a shot that was spilled by the Japanese goalkeeper and Umar was in the right place for a simple tap in.
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Midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo hit four goals as the Nigeria U23 team shrugged off jet lag to take three points off Japan in their opening match of the men’s football tournament of this year’s Olympics.
Nigeria next play European champions Sweden on Sunday night, also at the Amazonia Arena in Manaus.
Unfortunately, Nigeria were pegged back within 100 seconds as Stanley Amuzie handed Japan an easy route back into the game when he committed a needless penalty and veteran Shinzo Koroki scored the equaliser for his team. The lead lasted just two minutes as Takumi Minamino equalised for Japan.
Having conjured a quick equalizer once, the Japanese were quick to pump players forward in search of another goal; it worked.
Three minutes before half time, Etebo scored his brace ensuring that the Dream Team went into the tunnel ahead.
On resumption of second half, the Nigerians continued from where they stopped, Umar again doing all the dirty work. Etebo stepped up to send Kushibiki the opposite direction. Subsequent replays suggested that the Roma striker had gone down under very little contact. Etebo hit it at once to notch his fourth goal of the game and his 11th in 17 appearances for the team.
Coach Siasia refused to speak on the issues that caused him and the team to arrive Manaus hours before the game, saying the team has put that behind them and are grateful to Delta Airlines for coming to the rescue of the team when they did.
Japan deservedly narrowed the deficit to two on 70 minutes, Takuma Asano poking home following good work from a team mate that left Nigeria’s entire defence stranded.
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Japan did score again in extra time through substitute Musashi Suzuki who pulled the ball back away from the defense and slotted it to the far post past Nigeria keeper Emmanuel Daniel, settling the score at 5-4 in Nigeria’s favor.
