Paris 2024: No Olympic Football for Olympic Eagles as Guinea eliminates Nigeria
A goalless first half raised their hope of upsetting their host but two goals within 12 minutes after the hour mark perished all hopes and confirmed the fears of the majority of the fans
By Olusola Adebayo
Nigeria will not participate in the men's football event of the 2024 Paris Olympics courtesy of a 2-0 spanking of the Nigeria men's U23 National team otherwise known as the Olympics Eagles by Guinea on Tuesday in Morrocco.
The game is the return leg in the final elimination series of the U23 African Cup of Nations scheduled for Morroco later in the year.
The Guineans had earlier held their Nigerian counterpart to a goalless draw at the Moshood Abiola Stadium Abuja last week Wednesday and finished the job within the return leg played in Morrocco thus booking a place in the 2023 U23 AFCON where the top three finishers will represent Africa at the 2024 Paris Olympics while the fourth will play in the intercontinental qualifier to see if they can make it.
Coach Salisu Yusuf and his boys were looking for a miracle of a sort, while most Nigerians are not truly interested in the match but few still possess little hope but with a patch of fear within.
A goalless first half raised their hope of upsetting their host but two goals within 12 minutes after the hour mark perished all hopes and confirmed the fears of the majority of the fans.
Algassime Bah scored the opener in the 62nd minute while Alseny Soumah put the final nail to the coffin in the 76th minute.
The result left the 1996 Olympic football gold medals stranded as they their search for Olympic Football continues despite their decent record in the event in recent years.
