A strong first half performance by Nigeria’s Dream Team VI proved to be decisive in a thrilling 3-2 win over Mali’s Les Aigles in their opening game of the 2015 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations in Senegal on Sunday.
The Malians started the stronger of the two sides at Stade Caroline Faye, M’Bour but were undone by poor finishing and bad luck (when a shot hit the Nigerian crossbar) in the early moments of the game.
Samson Siasia’s men weathered the early storm and slowly began to find their bearings.
They got the breakthrough on the quarter hour through striker, Junior Ajayi who did well to latch onto a low cross before scoring via an outrageous back heel, under immense pressure in the Mali penalty area.
Ten minutes before the break, Nigeria doubled their lead and it was yet another extraordinary finish.
The game was seemingly effectively over as a contest on the stroke of half time when Azubuike Okechukwu’s shot spilled by the Mali goal keeper towards the path of Ajayi who smashed home into an unguarded net to complete his brace.
Nigeria were however pegged back in the second half as the Malians launched a stirring second half fight back which deserved a point at the very least, but they just about fell short.
Adama Niane gave the Malians hope in the 55th minute when he dispatched a penalty into the roof of the net after the Nigerian side fluffed their lines at the rear.
The fight back was on as Mali pulled another goal back in the 65th minute after yet another piece of calamitous Nigerian defending.
Souleymane Sissoko smacked home from close range to set the nerves from the Nigeria side jangling while the other West Africans suddenly realized they could dare to dream
The Dream Team however dug deep to close out the win on a night when it threatened to go awry.
Nigeria thus shot to the top of Group B with maximum points after Egypt and Algeria drew their opening fixture 1-1 earlier on Sunday.
Siasia will be looking to make enormous corrections to glaring defensive frailties witnessed before they face Egypt in their next group game against Egypt on December 2.
