Eaglets to banish Dream Team Marrekech nightmare

So much was expected of Dream Team V to not only qualify from the London Olympic qualifiers, but even go on to repeat the feat first achieved by Nwankwo Kanu and company at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.But it was not to be as the Nigeria U23 team lost their first two matches, 1-0 to hosts […]

So much was expected of Dream Team V to not only qualify from the London Olympic qualifiers, but even go on to repeat the feat first achieved by Nwankwo Kanu and company at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
But it was not to be as the Nigeria U23 team lost their first two matches, 1-0 to hosts Morocco and 2-1 to Senegal.
They then fired past Algeria 4-1 in their final group game with Raheem Lawal notching a hat-trick, but it was too little, too late as Nigeria failed to make it to London 2012.
The Golden Eaglets though have in the last two weeks made Marrekech, the Moroccan playground of the rich and famous, a home and today they are set to redeem themselves by beating Cote d’Ivoire to become African champions again.
Former Nigeria U23 stars have backed the Eaglets to go all the way and banish the disaster that befell Austin Eguavoen’s charges in November 2011.
The only shinning light for Nigeria two years ago, Raheem Lawal, told MTNFootball.com he expects the U17s to deliver on the same pitch where they failed to do so.
“We were not happy to lose out on the 2012 Olympics. I was really looking forward to the event, but we couldn’t qualify for it. It all happened in Morocco. But I believe the Golden Eaglets will beat Cote d’Ivoire in the final and win the CAF U17 Championship for us,” said the Mersin Idmuyurdu midfielder.
Shooting Stars goalkeeper Dele Ajiboye also admitted they disappointed in Marrakech in 2011, but he expects the U17s to rule Africa come Saturday evening.
“All I remember about the U23 championship in Marrakech was a huge disappointment. I am very sure the Eaglets will now rule Africa at same stadium and same city where we couldn’t. They have been superb,” Ajiboye told MTNFootball.com
Llaneros FC of Colombia left back Usman Amodu equally expressed disappointment that the U23s did not deliver when it mattered most.
Besides exorcising the ghost of Dream Team V, the Golden Eaglets will be fired up to beat Cote d’Ivoire when it matters most and clinch the coveted trophy after they lost to the same team in the group stage of this competition.
A late winner by Niagbo condemned the Eaglets to their first-ever loss and there are not many bigger stages for Manu Garba’s team to let the world really know that their West African rivals were only lucky to win the first time.