Why I picked Osimhen for African U-23 Championship – Siasia

Dream Team VI coach, Samson Siasia, has said what Victor Osimhen achieved at the recent Federation Internationale de Football Association U-17 World Cup in Chile was not a fluke and the youngster deserves his place on his final squad for the U-23 championship.

Ogaba who assisted Coach Samson Siasia during the screening of players in Abuja said he has confidence in the calibre of players in the team.

An elated Siasia said he was relieved that his mother is now back in the comfort of their home unhurt.

“For me all I can say now is, based on the support shown me and my family, all I can do to repay Nigerians is to go out there and pick an Olympic ticket for the country”.

After airport formalities, the team were immediately taken by road to M’bour, venue of their first two group games, and later arrived the hotel reserved for them, the Framissima Palm Beach at about 3.00 am local time.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Dream Team VI will slug it out with perennial West African rivals, Mali, in the resort town of Mbour, in a game many believe could produce the potential winners of group B.

Rivaldo Coetzee and Phakamani Mahlambi have both been named in the starting XI for South Africa’s Caf Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations opener against Senegal in Dakar on Saturday afternoon.

Kick-off is at 15H00 GMT.

South Africa are in Group A at the eight-nation tournament, alongside hosts Senegal, Zambia and Tunisia. Mozambican Arsenio Marengula and Sidiki Sidibe of Guinea are the Assistant Referees.