Sports

Morocco 2023: Guinea block Olympic Eagles from U23 AFCON finals

Published

2 years ago

March 28, 2023

Joel Ajayi
Nigeria’s Olympic Eagles have come short of making it to this year’s U23 Africa Cup of Nations after losing 2-0 to Guinea in the second leg of their final qualifying fixture in Rabat, Morocco on Tuesday.

After a 0-0 draw in the first leg in Abuja on Wednesday last week, the Eagles had the opportunity of more training sessions together to take the game to the Guineans on neutral ground, as Guinea does not have a venue approved in their country for international football.

Both teams fought hard on the turf of the Prince Heritier Moulay Al Hassan for one hour, before Guinea took the lead, and then added a second 15 minutes later to the consternation of the Nigeria squad and their head coach Salisu Yusuf.

Defeat was a bitter pill to swallow, for a team that emerged champions of the Africa U23 Cup of Nations in Senegal in 2015 and reached the finals staged in Egypt four years ago.

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Sports

Paul Salami Fires Hat-Trick as U23 Side Defeats 10-Man Melbourne Sharks

Published

1 day ago

June 3, 2025

The Gleamer

Jeph Akanji

Paul Salami’s Stunning Hat-Trick Sinks 10-Man Melbourne Sharks in U23 Showdown

Nigerian-born midfielder Paul Salami stole the show with a sensational hat-trick, leading his side to a dominant 3-0 victory over the Melbourne Sharks in Week 9 of the Australian U23 League.

The 21-year-old rising star opened the scoring in the 20th minute, calmly finishing off a swift counter-attack to put his team ahead. The momentum shifted further in their favor when Sharks defender Liam Mastos received a straight red card in the 40th minute for a reckless challenge, forcing the home side to play with 10 men.

Salami continued to exploit the numerical advantage with clinical precision. He netted his second goal in the 52nd minute, capping off a well-orchestrated team move, before sealing his hat-trick in the 75th minute with a composed finish that left the goalkeeper with no chance.

Operating with poise and creativity in midfield, Salami’s performance was a masterclass in attacking intelligence, control, and execution. His match-winning display not only earned him the match ball but also solidified his growing reputation as one of the most exciting young talents in the league.

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