Barely 30 minutes after a hard fought 3-2 win over Mali, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalong, put a call across to players and officials of the U-23 National Team (Dream Team), urging them not to rest on their oars but go all out for the Olympics ticket.
Congratulating the boys for being brave warriors to overcome the Mali hurdle, the Youth and Sports minister said no game is easy and the fact that they could withstand the pressure from the Malians goes to show that they possess the true fighting spirit of Nigerians.
“Let me assure you all that your efforts will not go unnoticed; all I ask of you is to relax, enjoy this moment, then concentrate on your next game, no game is easy, but from the much you have shown against Mali, I know you guys can make it.”
Dalong had before the game put a call across to the team, charging them not to let the nation proud.
Responding Coach Siasia thanked the Youth and Sports Minister for finding time within his busy schedule to give the team morale -boosting call, while assuring the Minister that the team would not disappoint Nigerians. Siasia called on all to support the team, saying that they have come this far and cannot afford to falter.
Meanwhile, Head Coach of the Dream Team, Samson Siasia has admitted that his team was lucky to have escaped with a 3-2 victory over West African rivals Mali, in its first game at the ongoing U-23 Africa Cup of Nations played at the Caroline Fay Stadium, Mbour.
Coach Siasia made this disclosure while addressing the sporting press at the post match press conference after the game.
According to Coach Siasia: “We were simply lucky today that we took our chances in the first half; my defenders after conceding that penalty goal, became jittery and in the process started giving the ball away to our opponents. It was a game of two halves, for me my greatest joy was that we were able to pick the first three points, meaning one more win and we are in the semifinals.”
On how difficult the Malians were, Coach Siasia said the Malians, like any other team in the group earned their qualification for the competition, and so are no push overs, but one thing he is assuring Nigerians is that in a competition like this, the Dream Team will get better with each passing game.
Coach Siasia then urged Nigerians to support the team, as they take on Egypt, and that for him and his boys, it’s one game at a time.
