Nigeria's Dream Team VI wins Rio Olympics bronze

Nigeria's U-23 team yesterday won bronze at the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament in Rio Brazil after an entertaining 3-2 victory over Honduras at the Belo Horizonte’s Estadio Mineirao.

It was Nigeria’s only medal at the Rio 2016 Olympic and further more confirmed Nigeria’s dominance of the men’s football event of the Olympics.

Nigeria won gold in 1996 and followed it up with a silver at the 2008 Olympics before their current feat at Rio 2016.

Samson Siasia’s side enjoyed a three-goal advantage shortly before the hour mark thanks to Sadiq Umar’s brace and Aminu Umar's 49th minute goal, but Honduras gave the African side a late scare as Antony Lozano and Marcelo Pereira reduced the deficit to just one goal.

Nigeria started brightly and put Honduras under early pressure. They came agonisingly close to taking the lead on seven minutes when Mikel John Obi found Aminu Umar, whose effort struck both posts. Umar had another good opportunity minutes later but was denied by goalkeeper Luis Lopez.

Honduras were not without their chances, as Nigeria's shot-stopper Emmanuel Daniel was called into action to deny Alberth Elis in the 11th minute. The forward then had a golden opportunity in the 33rd minute when he broke through the Nigeria defence with his blistering pace but Daniel held firm to deny the Olimpia man.

The Central Americans were made to rue that missed opportunity as Nigeria took the lead just a minute later. Mikel demonstrated his splendid technique by dribbling into the box and finding Sadiq Umar, who fired the Africans into the lead.

Aminu Umar doubled Nigeria’s advantage four minutes after the break, while Sadiq Umar’s second of the game in the 56th minute left Siasia’s side cruising. 

 But Honduras soon showed they were not down and out. Lozano pulled one back for Jorge Luis Pinto's side on 71 minute, before Pereira cut Nigeria's advantage to just one goal after heading home Oscar Salas' free-kick. The fightback was not enough, however, as Nigeria held firm to secure their first Olympic medal since Beijing 2008.