Dream Team: Nigeria U-23 team beat Mali

The national Under-23 team has gotten their campaign at the under-23 African Cup if Nations in Senegal, on a solid note with a 3-2 win over the Junior Eagles of Mali in a five- goal thriller.

The Dream Team VI will play Egypt next on Wednesday and victory will see them qualify for the semi-finals.

Mali continued probing for their own goal but Nigeria stood firm and took the lead in the 35th minute, when midfielder Usman Mohammed unleashed a fiercesome strike into the back of Mali’s net.

Usman Mohammed turned in a loose ball from inside the box after a great cut-back by Sincere Seth in the 34th minute to double Nigeria’s advantage against the Malians.

Scoreline at half time was Nigeria 3, Mali 0. It took only nine minutes for the Malians to reduce the deficit, as Ndifreke Effiong tripped a Malian forward in the box.

But it was a completely different ball game in the second period as Nigeria were camped in their own half and Mali attacked in search of goals and were rewarded with two, which were just shy of earning them a share of the points on the day.

All efforts from Cheick Kone’s side to equalise proved futile as Souleymane Sissoko and Adama Traore forced goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel to a couple of saves. A rasping shot from a free -kick in added time sailed over, and handed the Dream Team the three points.

The tournament will be held in Senegal between 28 November and 12 December 2015 with a total of eight teams namely; Senegal, Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, Mali, Zambia, South Africa and Tunisia participating.

A game of two halves, saw the Nigerians scoring three goals in the first half, while Mali got the second half, netting twice but falling short of nicking the equaliser, which they truly deserved on the evidence of their performance and second half display.

Be that as it may, the Class of 2011 vacillated in the African qualifying race, losing to host Morocco and Senegal to crash out in the gathering stage at the inaugural Africa U-23 Championship.