TheCable

Nigeria U-23 team’s coach, Samson Siasia, is full of confidence his boys will come out unscathed in Pointe Noire when they take on Congo in a 2015 Africa U-23 Championship final qualifying match on Sunday.

The Dream Team take a slim 2-1 advantage from the first leg in Port Harcourt to the return leg. But Siasia is unfazed with the situation saying he relishes big games.

“I love big games, and I’m not shy to say so. This is with every sense of modesty. Pointe Noire is another tough session, but I look forward to it,” he said.

“It will not be easy; nothing good in life comes easy. But we will give it our very best shot and return from Pointe Noire with victory.”

Siasia is speaking from experience as he had to negotiate a tough run to the men’s football tournament of the 2008 Olympics.

On November 16, 2007, the team needed at least a draw against Ghana in Accra to be in good stead for the ticket and duly played out a 0-0 draw.

Recently, Siasia’s U-23 boys won both away matches on the road to qualifying for the 11th All-Africa Games football tournament – a 4-1 win over Gabon in Libreville and a 2-1 defeat of Zambia in Lusaka.

THE PLAYERS SELECTED FOR THE BATTLE OF POINTE NOIRE:

Daniel Emmanuel, Atanda Sodiq, Stanley Amuzie, Azubuike Okechukwu, Olusegun Oduduwa, Erhun Obanor, Godwin Saviour, Etebo Oghenekaro, Junior Ajayi, Usman Mohammed, Etor Daniel, Yusuf Mohammed, Chima Akas, Semiu Liadi, Shehu Abdullahi, Kingsley Sokari, Taiwo Awoniyi, Umar Aminu, Austin Oladapo and Sincere Seth.