The national U-23 team have been given a tough draw in Group B of the Africa U23 Cup of Nations where they will face Egypt, Algeria and Mali, in a tournament to select Africa’s representatives for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil.
The Dream Team will face off against some of the toughest teams on the continent in the competition that will run between November 28 and December 12, 2015 in Senegal.
Group A will see hosts Senegal take on South Africa, Zambia and Tunisia.
The top three teams from the competition will qualify to represent Africa at Rio 2016.
The opening game will take place between Senegal and South Africa while Nigeria will play their first game against Mali on November 29 at the 5000-seater Caroline Faye Stadium, Mbour.
Nigeria are presently playing in the All Africa Games in Congo where they are in the semi finals.
Meanwhile, Samson Siasia, Head Coach of the Dream Team VI, has described as `tough’ Nigeria’s pairing with Egypt, Mali and Algeria in Group B of the U-23 Africa Nations Cup billed for Senegal.
The tournament is scheduled to take place from November 28 to December 12 at the Senegalese cities of Dakar and M’Bour.
The result of the draw was released on Monday at the CAF Headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, as the championship’s top three teams will fly Africa’s flag at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
A statement posted on the website of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) reported Siasia as saying that none of the team in the group was a pushover.
“For now, my concentration is on the semi-final game against Burkina Faso at the ongoing African Games in Congo Brazzaville.
“But I must confess that this group is tough; all the teams in the group have a pedigree that cannot be over looked.
“However, I can assure Nigerians that we will pick one of the tickets for the football event of the Rio Olympic Games, “he said.
Siasia was also reported as saying that he would be scouting around Europe to beef-up the team.
He said: “I will set up discussions with Kelechi Iheanacho, Imoh Ezekiel, among other top strikers that I will need for the striking position at the championship in Senegal and the Olympics.
“Only the best legs who are willing to play for the country are good enough for the team.”
