U23 AFCON: Nigeria crash out, to miss Olympic Games

The Nigeria U23 team has crashed out of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

The team despite forcing their South African counterparts to a barren draw on Friday night crashed out of the U23 AFCON which also doubles as the qualifiers for the football event of the Olympic Games billed for Tokyo next year.

The coach Imama Amapakabo-tutored lads started their campaign in Egypt with a 1-0 loss to Ivory Coast before bouncing back to a 3-1 win over Zambia. But the barren draw on Friday night was inadequate to see them through to the semi final and stay in contention for a place in the Olympic Games.

With the two group B matches going on simultaneously on Friday, Nigeria needed a victory to seal a place in the final four while considering the outcome of the other game between Ivory Coast and Zambia.

However, the Nigerian team could not find the back of the net, and with Ivory Coast beating Zambia in the other game, it meant Nigeria finished third.

Ivory Coast top the group with six points, while South Africa joined them in the semi-final with five points.

With this development, Nigeria will not be represented in Olympic football event at all as the female team also failed in their bid to qualify.