The Nigeria U-23 squad, nicknamed Dream Team, will contest the so-called Group of Death at the Men’s Football Tournament of the 11th All-Africa Games in Brazzaville in September.
Thursday morning’s Draw Show at CAF’s headquarters in Egypt pitted Samson Siasia’s boys against Ghana’s Black Meteors, Senegal’s Lions and Egypt’s Pharaohs in Group B of the tournament.
Host nation Congo has a somewhat easier challenge with Sudan, Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso in Group A.
Siasia’s wards, getting ready for an African U-23 Championship final round, first leg qualifier against Congo Brazzaville in Port Harcourt on July 19, must be at their best to overcome the Meteors, who won Africa’s first Olympics football medal – bronze – at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. The Meteors also have intense motivation – they have dropped out of the race for next year’s Olympics.
The Dream Team will open their campaign against Egypt, who will also face Nigeria in a quick-fire double over five days in March next year, in the race for places at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.
THE DRAW
GROUP A
Congo
Sudan
Zimbabwe
Burkina Faso
GROUP B
Ghana
Senegal
Egypt
Nigeria
The NFF
