African stars on parade

Confederation of African Football decided to turn the final phase of Olympic qualifiers into an African U-23 Championship. This means that the tournament will be held every four years and will fall in the year before the Olympics. The championship, earlier awarded to Egypt was withdrawn late September and awarded to Morocco on security grounds. […]

Confederation of African Football decided to turn the final phase of Olympic qualifiers into an African U-23 Championship. This means that the tournament will be held every four years and will fall in the year before the Olympics.

The championship, earlier awarded to Egypt was withdrawn late September and awarded to Morocco on security grounds.

The two-week event would take place in two Moroccan cities of Marrakech and Tangiers; with Tangiers hosting five of the group A matches, except the one involving Nigeria and Algeria; wile Marrakech hosts all group B matches, except the tie between Gabon and Cote D’Ivoire.

At the end of the Championship, the top three teams will pick the tickets for the London 2012 Olympic Games, while the fourth placed team will slug it out with a side from Asia in a play-off for another ticket.

While the semi-final matches take place in Tangiers and Marrakech on December 6 and 7, the final and third place matches will hold at Marrakech on December 10.

In the draws for the Championship conducted at the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) headquarter in Cairo last October pitted host Morocco against Nigeria, Algeria and Senegal in group A, while the Egypt, Cote D’Ivoire, Gabon and South Africa are to slug it out in group B.

The road to championship has been rough for all the eight qualifiers, except Cote d’Ivoire that won their final round qualification matches against Congo home and away.

Nigeria won 3-0 against Tanzania at home but lost 0-1 on return leg while South Africa crashed 1-3 away to Benin, only to win 5-1 in the return leg at home. Gabon played a barren draw with Mali at home and won 1-0 in the second leg in Mali.

Nigeria’s group opponent Algeria also defeated Zambia 3-0 in the first leg, but lost the return leg 0-2, while host Morocco defeated Democratic Republic of Congo 2-1 at home in the first leg and drew 1-1 in the second leg. Egypt also played 0-0 with Sudan in the first leg, only to win 2-0 in the second leg; while Senegal played 0-0 away against Tunisia and later won the second leg by a lone goal to qualify for the championship.

Observers described the championship as the toughest as it parades most of Africa’s football power houses, with Cameroon one of Africa’s two countries that has ever won the Olympic football gold missing on parade with All Africa Games men’s football gold medallists, Ghana equally absent.

Going by the reality on ground, the countries that will emerge from the championship to represent Africa at the London Games will not disappoint the continent for coming out from a tough zone.

Coaches and football administrators on the continent have also admitted the fact that the championships’ qualifiers are hard nuts to crack.

Nigeria coach Austin Eguavoen admitted that his charges are in a tough group for the tournament that also has hosts Morocco, Algeria and Senegal.

Eguavoen’s reaction was also based on the fact that he has go to the African soccer event without some of his foreign- based players who have not been released for the tournament by their clubs. Influential Captain Lukman Haruna and winger Ahmed Musa have been denied permission by their European clubs. Odion Ighalo, Nnamdi Oduamadi, Rabiu Ibrahim, Anthony Ujah and Ekigho Ehiosun were also not released for the Olympics qualifying championship.

Egyptian Coach Hani Ramzy said he was pleased with the draw and had respect for all the teams in the group.

“We have a good chance to realize our dream to qualify for London but we have to work hard because there are no small teams in today’s football.”

South African Football Association CEO Dr Robin Petersen also said that the draw was a tough one and whoever would qualify in our group would have been equally tough because all 8 teams are good.

Sory Diabate Vice President of Cote d’ Ivoire Football Federation said it was an interesting draw which is bound to produce some fierce competition, adding that Côte d’Ivoire has the potential to do well in the Championship.

As usual with every football tournament to produce future stars, the CAF U-23 Championship is also expected to produce players that will become great stars in years to come.

No doubt, there are some promising players that will be the cynosure of all eyes as they do battle for their countries at the cadet soccer championship.

In Nigeria’s fold are such talented and gifted players like Obiora Nwankwo of Parma, Michael Babatunde of Kvybas, Olanrewaju Kayode who plays for Asec Mimosa, Stephen Worgu of Al Merriekh and Daniel Uchechi of Sheffield Wednesday.

There are also Morocco’s Mokhtar Younes and Qasmi Yassine; while South Africa parades Riaan Eugene, Jabulani Shongwe and Nhlanhla Khuzwayo; as well as Senegal’s Ousmane Mane, M Diop and Stephane Badji.

Fresh from their senior national football team’s elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations billed for Gabon and Equatorial Guinea and the failure of the female senior team to qual.ify for the London 2010 female football event, Nigeria’s Dream Team is hoping to make up for the failures, with a ticket to the world most glamorous sport gathering.

Experience-wise, the West Africans are the favourites but Coach Eguavoen is taking no chances and has charged his players to remain focused throughout the championship.

Nigeria who won the Olympic football gold at Atalanta 96 edition and won silver at the 2008 edition in Beijing are favourites to claim one of the three automatic slots allocated to Africa when the curtains draw on December 10.

Of all the qualifiers, only Nigeria’s Dream Team has won the Olympic football gold, and that is why the competition in Morocco will be intense, as host Morocco, Algeria, Senegal, Egypt, Gabon, Cote D’Ivoire and South Africa will be all out to pick a ticket and fight for the crown at the London 2012 Olympic football gold proper.