By Chinedu Laurel Okorodike
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Japan captured the AFC U-23 title last January by pulling off a come-from-behind victory over arch-rival South Korea, 3-2, in the final of the said tournament.
The Japanese U-23 squad had always been short of medals in the international arena and this summer is another opportunity to grab such elusive recognition. Group B is a tough group, but the Samurai Blue have the skills and to go past the group stage.
This Japanese team actually dominated their qualifying group for the AFC U-23 Championship, dispatching Macau, Vietnam and Malaysia with ease by scoring ten goals across the three matches without conceding.
Head coach Makoto Teguramori will have 21-year-old Arsenal newly signed striker Takuma Asano as the central figure of his offense. His front line partner, Urawa Red Diamonds' Shinzo Koroki, is one of three overage players together with defenders Hiroki Fujiharu and Tsukasa Shiotani.
As for the Nigeria U-23 team, the Dream Team VI, they may have to dig deep for the desired result as they get their campaign off in the men’s football event against Japan at the Rio Olympics.
It is expected that Japan will be keen to see how they can cash on the myriad of crisis that has plagued the Nigerian team in the past days when both sides take to the pitch in the second Group B match of the Rio 2016 men’s football event.
Game time is Friday 2.am (Nigerian time) and unfortunately, the Dream Team VI arrived Manaus from Atlanta barely seven hours to the kick-off of the game billed for the Arena da Amazônia.
The flawed travel arrangement may work in favour of the Japanese who have since been on ground and are known for their fast tempo style have the potential to run the Nigeria team ragged.
Coach Samson Siasia, who helped Nigeria to a silver medal the last time the country featured in the Olympics, will need to psyche up his team very well if they are to avoid a disastrous start in Rio.
The Dream Team are going to be skippered by Chelsea’s veteran midfielder John Obi Mikel, who at age 29 is one of the three overage players in the Nigeria team. Mikel was just nine years Old when a team featuring Nwankwo Kanu and Jay-Jay Okocha shocked the world by beating Brazil and Argentina on their way to becoming the first African nation to be crowned champions back in 1996.
Mikel is joined by 30-year-old starting goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, who was the senior team’s backup goal tender, and midfielder Usman Muhammed as the squad’s experienced players.
Head to Head: Nigeria vs Japan in the Olympics
Mexico 1986: Nigeria 1-3 Japan
Atlanta 1996: Nigeria 2-0 Japan
Beijing 2008: Nigeria 2-1 Japan
Atlanta 1996: Nigeria 2-0 Japan
Beijing 2008: Nigeria 2-1 Japan
Possible Line Up
Nigeria starting lineup (4-4-2 formation): Akpeyi; Madu, Shehu, Troost-Ekong, Amuzie; Etebo, Mikel, Okechukwu, Muhammed; Ajayi, Ezekiel
Japan starting lineup (4-4-2 formation): Kushibiki; Muroya, Endo, Fujiharu, Shiotani; Nakajima, Kubo, Nakamura, Ideguchi; Koroki, Asano
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