Nigeria thus advanced to Saturday’s quarter-finals after six points from three matches, having scored six goals and conceded six, with Colombia picking the runners-up spot with five points. “We don’t want to go back home now or soon; we want to be on the pitch until the last game here”, he said. We really have to work harder on our defending.
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“We are not bothered about the team we will be playing in the quarter finals; let’s play Colombia first and from there we will think of our opponents at that stage”. But one good thing about him is that he always put himself in good positions. Yesterday (Friday), we were actually anxious about our defence, but they came out and played very, very well against a good Danish team.
“Hopefully we might find a way to change the way we prepare and have a shot”. All the teams at this tournament are good; you just have to take your chances when you have them.
Nigeria’s Oghenekaro Etebo reacts during the team’s match against Sweden in Manaus, Brazil, August 7.
Ahead of the game, Mikel penned an article for the Evening Standard, giving a first-person perspective on the team’s dramatic journey so far (with plane delays and scuppered flag-carrying plans and lions and tigers and oh my). “That’s football. We are professionals and could not have under -rated the Colombians”. We really have to work harder on our defending.
For a time leading up to the Olympics, the question wasn’t whether the Nigerian men’s soccer team could win their group, or compete for a medal, or even repeat the remarkable gold of Atlanta 1996, it was whether they would make it to Brazil at all. The Super Eagles have qualified for the quarter-finals but morale has been dampened by alleged unpaid allowances.
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Meanwhile, the National Technical Director, Mr. Bitrus Bewarang has arrived in Brazil to join the U23 team as they march on in the quest for Olympic gold.
