By Victor Kanayo
After missing out of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, Nigeria is currently pushing to grab football ticket to 2024 Paris Olympics edition.
Already, the country’s U23 team, dubbed Olympic Eagles,have regrouped for intensive training ahead of the March 22, 2023 Africa U23 Cup of Nations qualifier match against Guinea.
Ahead of the crucial encounter, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Thursday morning revealed that the first leg clash will now happen in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
According to the Federation in a statement sent to Heritage Times (HT) the game was earlier scheduled for the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan the same day.
To reach this stage of the series, the 1996 champions defeated the Tanzania U23 team 3-1 on aggregate in October 2022, winning 2-0 at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan after both teams stalemated the first leg in Dar es Salaam at 1-1.
The winner over two legs between Nigeria and Guinea will advance to the finals of the Africa U23 Cup of Nations scheduled to be hosted by Morocco later in the year.
It is also at the tournament in Morocco that Africa’s flag bearers at next year’s Men’s Olympic Football Tournament in Paris will emerge.
“The return leg against the Guineans will be in Morocco on Monday, March 27,” the statement added.
