24 August 2008
Lagos — Both Samson Siasia and his Argentine counterpart, Sergio Batista have expressed their displeasure over the timing of yesterday's Olympic football final between Nigeria and Argentina, which the latter won.
The two coaches admited that the blazing Beijing weather accounted for the overall poor display from both sides during the match at the National Stadium 'Bird's Nest,' Bei-jing.
And in their reactions to the match, Nigeria 's former internationals and national team coaches on Saturday recommended that some members of the Under-23 Olympic team should form the core of the 2010 Super Eagles World Cup side.
Ostensibly to accommodate the final evening of the athletics programme of the Olympics, organisers decided to switch the kick-off of the most important match of the football competition to 12 noon local time (5am Nigerian time), which saw both sides not displaying the football artistory that took them to the final, which was won by Argentina 1-0.
The semi-finals, which were played at the traditional evening kick off, saw an impressive eight goals scored with some breath-taking attacking football displayed by both Argentina, who triumphed 3-0 over Brazil, and the Dream Team, which walloped Belgium 4-1.
But yesterday, football fans were treated to a laboured display from both sides with the game eventually decided in the 58th minute by a delightful chip by Angel Di Maria, who was set up by Lionel Messi.
While on the overall balance of play the defending champions perhaps did shade it - barely, kudos must however be given to Samson Siasia and his boys who played a very disciplined, tactical game, which kept Messi relatively quiet for most of the match.
Ironically, the Dream Team actually had more of the goal scoring chances but failure to convert any of them ultimately cost them the gold medal, a fact not lost to their coach.
"I'm very disappointed that we did not win. The boys played well and had their chances, but in football, if you don't score you don't win. And this is what happened today we had ours, we didn't take them. They (Argentina) had one and they took it and won the match.
"But that is football. I'm still very proud with the overall performance of the boys. To get to the final of the Olympics is no easy achievement. We're happy that we've been able to win a silver medal after all, every team that came here (Beijing) came here for the same purpose, but in the end only two teams can have that honour," said Siasia.
He was, however, critical of the decision to play the game in the afternoon, saying that it affected them adversely.
"The players couldn't play at their best because of the heat. It was unfair on them and unfair on the fans because they couldn't watch the kind of football they had expected from the two sides that know how to score goals. But we didn't make the rules though," Siasia said.
In this, he was thoroughly supported by Argentina coach Batista.
"Of course we feared the heat. It was the major reason for the way we approached the game. I wasn't the organiser. So, I don't really want to comment on it. But it was a major reason why the final was not spectacular," said the former international, of the match watched by 89, 102 spectators.
Nigeria's lone goal loss to Argentina in the final of the Beijing Olympics men's soccer meant different things to different fans in various parts of the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some fans in Benin City think that the country's Under-23 side should have lost to any other team except Argentina.
The fans see the Argentines as Nigeria's perennial opponents, who have become the country's nightmare, beginning with the 1994 World Cup tie in the U.S., where the South Americans won 2-1.
Coaches Adegboye Onig-binde, Paul Hamilton, ex-internationals Segun Odeg-bami and Friday Elahor in separate interviews hailed the boys for their brilliant performance against the Arge-ntines.
They all agreed that the Dream Team IV as the squad is fondly called by their admirers, that they gave a good account of themselves.
Hamilton, a member of Nigeria 's historic first team to qualify for the Olympics Games in 1968 in Mexico , described the encounter as "a game of champions".
He lauded the Nigerian players, saying they had a good game and lost due to a momentary loss of concentration."We were not disgraced. I doff my hat for those boys.
Two-time Super Eagles coach, Onigbinde said the players put up a good fight, adding that a silver medal at this level "is not bad although Nigerians were expecting a gold".
"We should build on the foundation we are laying with these boys," said Ongbinde, who won a silver at the 1984 African Nations Cup and led the national team to the 2002 World Cup in Japan/South Korea.
Former Eagles right winger, Odegbami said the boys' performance confirmed the view that Nigeria always had potentials. "The boys put up a gallant fight.
The Argentines were slightly better on the night. "What this means is we have progressed very well."
Getting to the final of the 2005 Under-20 and now the Olympic final, this side should form the core of the team that should take us to the 2010 World Cup," said Odegbami.
Friday Elahor, former Eagles left winger, praised the boys for their outing, saying they had a good game "although we lost. They played their hearts out."
Meanwhile Nigerians have been counting their losses to yesterday defeat of the Dream Team by their Argentina counterpartas. A restaurant operator in Aba Samson Okechukwu said if the Nigerian side had won, fans would have jubilated and that would have meant a business boom for him and others.
"The failure of our boys to take the gold medal is bad for me. "Many people were ready to roll out the drums on the streets of Aba today (Saturday) if we had won the gold and this would have meant big business for many people, including myself," he said.
In his reaction, Abia Director of Sports, Ejikeme Ikwunze, told NAN that the players deserved national honours.
"President Umaru Yar'Adua should reward the boys adequately for doing the nation proud. They deserve to be given national award.
Auwal Umar, Gombe FA Chairman, commended Dream Team IV for their performance, saying "it was not a bad outing.
"In spite of the defeat, the team played well and showed they were good soccer ambassadors of Nigeria and Africa at the Beijing Games ." Umar said.
Gombe United striker Bala Manu , described the loss as painful but lauded the players and coaches for the brilliant outing in Beijing .
Speaker of the Delta House of Assembly, Mr. Martins Okonta, told NAN on telephone that the team made the nation proud.
Okonta said the silver medal was worth gold , as the players proved themselves heroes , even in defeat. "They exhibited some dexterity but it was not destined for them to win," said the Speaker.
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