Nigeria’s men’s football team, had a disastrous start when they were
left stranded in Atlanta, fortunately it got resolved. They get
to Olympics and while on the field for their match against Japan, the
wrong National anthem was played.
The Nigerian U-23 team did a great job beating Japan 5 goals to 4 in
Manaus on Thursday just hours after landing in Brazil for the Rio 2016
Olympics. Oghenekaro Etebo became the first Nigerian to score a
hat-trick at the Olympics.
There were 8 goals scored in 77 minutes.
Sadiq Umar got the goal fest underway, putting Nigeria ahead barely
five minutes in. Three minutes later Japan was awarded a penalty, which
Shinzo Koroki converted from the spot to level the score at 1-1.
Japan had barely finished celebrating when Nigeria regained the lead through Oghenekaro Etebo.
Two minutes later, Takumi Minamino scored again for Japan, tying the score at 2-2.
After the first 15 minutes there came a period of relative calm until
Etebo struck again three minutes before halftime, taking the jet-lagged
Super Eagles into the break with a one goal lead.
Nigeria extended the lead five minutes into the second half after Umar
went down in the box and won a penalty. Etebo completed his hat-trick
from the penalty spot to make it 4-2, Nigeria.
Nigeria scored again in the 66th after Japanese goalkeeper Masatoshi
Kushibiki rushed out to shut down an attack, leaving his net unattended
for a charging Etebo who promptly made it 5-2 in the 66th minute.
Etebo, who plays his club soccer in Portugal, had a particularly good
night, putting five shots on goal, scoring four, and becoming the first
Nigerian to score a hat-trick at the Olympics.
In tthe 70th minute substitute Takuma Asano who side-heeled in a cross from Hiroki Fujihara from close range made it 5-3.
Moments later Asano, who was recently signed by Premier League giants
Arsenal, rocketed an effort off the post although the whistle had blown
for offside.
Japan scored 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.
By that time it was midnight local time and the exhausted Nigerians had
just claimed victory in what has far and away been the most
entertaining match we’ve seen yet in the Rio Olympics. Not bad for a
team that had started traveling at 7 a.m.
