The national U-23 team recorded their first defeat in the qualifiers for next year's Olympic Games when they lost 1-0 to the Vijana Stars of Tanzania on Sunday in Dar es Salaam.
The match seemed headed for a stalemate until Tanzania's dangerous striker Ulimwengu Emmanuel's 82nd minute header sealed the encounter for the East Africans and send fans at the packed Dar es Salaam National Stadium into rapturous celebrations.
The U-23 team won two corner kicks within the first five minutes and dominating play but Tanzania, still basking in the euphoria of eliminating Cameroon, took charge for most parts of the game with Emmanuel tormenting the Nigerian defence time and time again.
Granada of Spain forward Odion Ighalo wasted several scoring chances for the U-23 side before he was replaced by Norway-based Anthony Ujah in the 66th minute.
The Lillestrom striker added bite to coach Austin Eguavoen's defence but still couldn't break the Tanzanian defence until the Vijana Stars capitalised on a mistake by the Nigerian midfield to win the game in the 82nd minute.
But coach Eguavoen is optimistic of his side's victory in the return leg, which comes up in a forthnight.
"We still have an opportunity to get it right in the return leg. We lost a lot of scoring chances, which if we had converted would have changed the game. We will eliminate them," Eguavoen said.
Coach of the Vijana Stars, Jamhuri Kihwelo, attributed his team's victory to determination.
He said, "We were determined from the start of the game not to let Tanzanians down and that is why we took the game to the Nigerians. I warned my boys not to show any respect to the for Nigeria and this worked," he said.
Source: The Punch
What a loss to Nigerian U-23 team! They need to brace up to secure the ticket. Good job Tanzania...