Orkula Shaagee
7 August 2008
Nigeria's Under-23 team will today confront Netherlands in one of the opening games of the male soccer events of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
The Netherlands are looking forward to today's match to avenge their quarter-final lost to the Nigerians at the 2005 edition of the FIFA U-20 World Youth Championship held on their home soil.
Nigeria went ahead to play in the final of that event, losing 2-1 to Argentina.
Coach Samson Siasia who led the Nigerian side to the 2005 soccer fiesta is leading a bunch of most of the boys that played in the Netherlands event to the Olympic Games.
Siasia is expected to use the Olympic Games to launch him-self to world reckoning after a brilliant showing with the Flying Eagles at the FIFA 2005 U-20 World Championship in Hol-land.
After the Holland soccer fiesta, Siasia was said to have received invitations from all over the globe, including English Premiership side Bolton Wonderers who wanted him to tinker the team.
He will be parading a team that he has worked with for over three years, and there is no doubt that the boys have understood themselves and would be aiming to surpass their second place outing at the 2005 FIFA U-20 fiesta at the Beijing Games.
From the goal post to attack, Siasia has maintained his Holland team, with a few intro-ductions to strengthen the squad for the Olympic Games.
Ambrose Vanzekin, the team's first choice goaltender, accor-ding to coach Samson Siasia has improved on his weak points and is ready to prove his worth against the Netherlands in today's game. There is also Ike-chukwu Ezenwa who is unar-guably one of the safest hands in the domestic league who will be on the reserve bench.
On the right full back, Nigeria parades resourceful Onyekachi Apam who played for the senior national team at the Ghana 2008 Africa Cup of Nations. He has gathered enough experience both with the junior and senior national teams to ward off attac-king forays from opposing teams.
Another resourceful defen-der in Nigeria's line-up is heavily built Monday James whose contribution to Nigeria's second place showing at the Holland 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup is not in doubt. James can effecti-vely replace Taye Taiwo whose participation at the games is being threatened by his French side, Marseille.
In the midfield, Nigeria boasts of experienced and gifted pla-yers, including the team's cap-tain Isaac Promise, Sani Kaita and over-aged Osaze Odemwin-gie who can hold their own against any opposition.
Promise is a good marker and ball passer, whose contribution to the attacking line can create a lot of goal scoring chances for the team to win matches; same for France-based Osaze Odemwingie a versatile and utility player who can create trouble for opposing teams.
Nigeria also has avalanche of players to select from the attack where Everton of England pearl Victor Anichebe, Obinna Nsofor, Solomon Okoronkwo and Chinedu Ogbuke hold sway.
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