Victorious U-23 players arrive Nigeria

Players and officials of the victorious U-23 National Team, Dream Team VI, which lifted the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations on Saturday night, have arrived in Nigeria.

The Dream Team departed the Leopold Senghor International Airport on Monday at 3am aboard an ARIK Airline flight and touched down at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

The team was supposed to board another ARIK airline flight to Abuja but were disbanded at Lagos as the reception in Abuja has not been fixed.

The Presdent of  Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick revealed that the team will be received officially in Abuja at a date to be fixed by the federation.

On why the team was not received in Abuja like the Golden Eaglets, the NFF boss said there were no plans to host them on arrival, due to the busy schedule of the federation.

All three overseas –based professionals, Captain Azubuike Okechukwu, Junior Ajayi and Taiwo Awoniyi have returned to their different clubs were not part of the delegation that arrived Nigeria.

Nigeria also qualified for the football event of the 2016 and head coach of the Dream Team VI Samson Siasia has assured Nigeria that his team will be giving their best at the games.

“I’m very happy to have won this trophy, even if it was difficult, but the essential thing was done,” Siasia told cafonline.com.

"It was not easy for us taking into considerations the teams we met in the first and second round. Algeria is a good team and they showed that on the pitch, and playing well.

“My players also did well by scoring the goals we needed to win the match. Now we will continue to work, correct our mistakes and improve our game.

“I was coach of Nigeria during the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008, when we reached the final, and in 2016 we will aim to do more than reaching the final by winning the trophy.”