The 2015 AFCON U23 champions will not be a part of the championship’s fourth edition after bowing out in disappointing fashion
Nigeria will not be at the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations to be hosted by Morocco in June after the country’s Olympic Eagles fell to a 2-0 aggregate defeat against Guinea at the Stade Prince Moulay El Hassan de Rabat on Tuesday evening.
The Olympic Eagles could only manage a goalless draw with the Guineans at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja last Wednesday in the first leg of the playoffs and knew they needed a positive result in the return leg to secure a spot at the fifth edition of the continental championship.
And with the match to be played on neutral ground in Morocco, the advantage would always tilt in favour of the better team.
But the coach Salisu Yusuf-led side found the going tough in Rabat as they fell to a 2-0 loss to their West African neighbours.
After holding the Baby Elephants for an hour, Algassime Bah broke the deadlock and gave the hosts the lead with a fine strike in the 62nd minute.
Twelve minutes later, Alseny Soumah made sure of the result with Guinea’s second goal of the game to leave Nigeria with a steep mountain to climb.
Coach Salisu Yusuf and his boys could not, however, conjure up a comeback though as the Olympic Eagles surrendered the ticket to the 2023 CAF U23 AFCON
With the disappointing result, Nigeria will not be participating in Morocco 2023, a tournament that will serve as the qualifier for the Olympic Games in Paris 2024.
