Nigeria’s Flying Eagles head coach, Ladan Bosso, has attributed the team’s group stage elimination from the 13th African Games to inadequate preparations, citing insufficient time for player scouting.
Nigeria’s hopes of advancing to the semi-finals were dashed by Senegal, who secured a 3-2 victory on Friday, March 15, despite Nigeria’s promising start in Group B.
The match witnessed Nigeria taking an early lead in the second minute through Charles Agada. However, Senegal’s Idrissa Traore equalized in the 21st minute with a well-executed shot past the Nigerian goalkeeper.
Traore doubled his tally just six minutes later, giving Senegal their first lead in the match. Chibuzor Izuogu’s brilliant free-kick brought Nigeria back into contention, leveling the score at 2-2.
However, Senegal’s Pape Diouf sealed Nigeria’s fate with a penalty-kick goal, securing Senegal’s place in the semi-finals and ending Nigeria’s aspirations.
Expressing his disappointment after the match, Coach Bosso lamented the outcome and acknowledged the challenges he faced in assembling the squad.
“I’m disappointed because this game was the best we have played so far in this tournament,” Bosso stated. “I didn’t have enough time to scout for players, and what I did was to watch a few games in Uyo and other places. That’s where I saw the two Enyimba players, Daga and Chibueze.”
Looking ahead, Bosso emphasized the necessity for early preparation for future tournaments, underscoring the inadequacy of the 13-day preparation period for the African Games.
“The lesson is that we need to prepare very well for future tournaments,” Bosso asserted. “The idea of preparing for a tournament in 13 days is really not the best. But we can take positives from the fact that some players in this squad can be nurtured for the future and possibly play for the national team.”
Despite the setback, Bosso acknowledged the team’s efforts to improve with each match, highlighting their performance against Senegal as the tournament’s best.
