Olympic Eagles hold Tanzania to 1-1 draw in Dar es Salaam

Nigeria's under-23 men's football team known as the Olympic Eagles played out a 1-1 draw away against their counterparts from Tanzania on Saturday, October 22, 2022.

The team led by Super Eagles of Nigeria assistant coach Salisu Yusuf featured several players in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

It took the Olympic Eagles just 29 minutes to find the back of the net as Qudus Akanni was brought down in the box.

CD Diocesano winger Success Makanjuola scored from the spot to give Nigeria the lead at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium

The team took the lead to the halftime break but would face a difficult second half in Dar es Salaam.

The Olympic Eagles weathered the storm for most of the second half but in the 79th minute conceded as Tanzania equalized also from the penalty spot.

It was a tense finale for the Olympic Eagles as they held on to get a point in the first-leg fixture away from home.

The Olympic Eagles will now depart Dar es Salaam for Nigeria ahead of the second leg between the two teams.

Alhaji Aminu Balele Kurfi Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Task Force on youth competitions pledged the sum of $20,000 to the Olympic Eagles if they were to get a victory in Dar es Salaam.

A draw now means the Olympic Eagles still have a possibility of getting more financial incentives if they are victorious in the second leg in Nigeria,

With a place at the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on the line, the Olympic Eagles welcome Tanzania to Nigeria for the second leg scheduled to take place at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan on Saturday, October 29, 2022.