Bala
Ka’oje, a former Minister of Sports, said that the country’s poor preparations
to the Rio Olympics contributed mainly to the team’s semi-final 0-2 loss to
Germany on Wednesday in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Lukas Klostermann of Germany
celebrates with team mates after scoring a goal during the Men's Football Semi
Final between Nigeria and Germany on Day 12 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at
Arena Corinthians on August 17, 2016 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Robert
Cianflone - FIFA Lukas Klostermann of Germany celebrates with team mates after
scoring a goal during the Men’s Football Semi Final between Nigeria and Germany
on Day 12 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Arena Corinthians on August 17, 2016
in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Robert Cianflone – FIFA The two goals scored in
each half of the match were all the Germans needed to ensure the Dream Team did
not play in the Rio Olympics football final. Ka’oje said that the over reliance
of the sports administrators, especially the football administrators on luck,
failed the Dream Team VI at the ongoing Olympics. According to Ka’Oje, rather
than prepare adequately for competitions, sports administrators, especially
those in the football circle, preferred to prepare teams for competition few
weeks to major tournaments. Ka’Oje blamed the present sports administrators for
the Dream Team’s semi-finals loss, noting that efforts should be done to ensure
the team grabbed the bronze medal at the expense of Honduras. “I feel so
disappointed watching that match; Siasia’s game plan especially his
substitutions were wrong. “The team lacked coordination at some point and some
of the changes made were unnecessary. “Inadequate preparation is the major
factor why the team lost but I didn’t like the way the boys played; if they had
adequate preparation, it would have been a different ball game. “What this
means is that we must prepare for competitions at the right time, when others
are preparing; one hopes on luck only when he or she has prepared late for
something,’’ Ka’Oje said. He, however, said that all hope was not lost as the
team was capable of defeating Honduras in the third place match to claim
bronze. The former minister said: “They have also tried to get to that level
considering the poor preparation of the team before the Olympics. “So far, we
have not gotten any medal in Rio and we are relying so much on the Dream Team to
give us a medal.’’ The defeat of the Dream Team VI means Germany would now play
Brazil on Saturday for the gold medal, while Nigeria would battle Honduras for
the bronze. Brazil had earlier defeated Honduras 6-0 in the first semi-final
match of the day. (NAN)
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