U-23 Eagles beat Honduras as Nigeria wins bronze medal

Nigeria beat Honduras 3-2 on Saturday to secure the bronze medal courtesy of two goals from Sadiq Umar and one from Aminu Umar at the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament Rio 2016 in Belo Horizonte’s Estadio Mineirao.

Samson Siasia’s side enjoyed a three-goal advantage shortly before the hour mark thanks to Sadiq Umar’s brace and Aminu Umar’s 49th minute goal, but Honduras gave the African side a late scare as Antony Lozano and Marcelo Pereira reduced the deficit to just one goal.

Nigeria broke the deadlock in the 34th minute through Sadiq Umar as John Obi Mikel danced past his opponent inside the area before sending in a low cross towards the far post, where the Roma striker coolly tapped home the opener.

Nigeria pushed hard for a second goal after the break and it duly arrived in the 49th minute, Aminu Umar reacting quickest to a rebound to double their lead.

Sadiq Umar then made it three seven minutes later following another assist from Obi Mikel to all but put the match to bed.

But Honduras soon showed they were not down and out. Lozano pulled one back for Jorge Luis Pinto’s side on 71 minutes, before Pereira cut Nigeria’s advantage to just one goal after heading home Oscar Salas’ free-kick. The fightback was not enough, however, as Nigeria held firm to secure their first Olympic medal since Beijing 2008.
With this win, Nigeria has now won all medals in the football event of the Olympics.

In 1996, it was a gold medal from the likes of Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha and Sunday Oliseh.

At the 2000 Olympics, the likes of Efe Ambrose, Victor Nsofor Obinna and Chinedu Ogbuka afforded Samson Siasia a silver medal.

RipplesNigeria …without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now