My Team Have a Huge Chance of Eliminating Nigeria – Coach Le Roy

Celebrated French coach Claude Le Roy wants
to inflict further misery on Nigeria this weekend
when he takes Congo Brazzaville to Port
Harcourt for a 2016 Olympic Games football
qualifier.

The Le Roy-inspired Congolese Red Devils
stunned the Nigerian Super Eagles 3-2 last year
in a 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
It was the first home Cup of Nations qualifying
loss suffered by Nigeria and ultimately robbed
them of a place at the finals and a chance to
defend the title.
Now, the consistently successful 67-year-old
Frenchman hopes to repeat at under-23 level
what he achieved at senior level and edge Congo
closer to Rio de Janeiro and a first Olympics
football appearance.
“We are in an identical position to last year with
no one beyond Congo giving us a chance,” Le
Roy said during a training camp in Atlantic city
Pointe-Noire.
“But my team have a huge chance of not only
eliminating Nigeria, but qualifying for the Rio
Olympics.
“There is no reason why we should fear Nigeria.
“Congolese football has made tremendous
progress recently and we must maintain that
improvement.”
Le Roy can call on four of his senior squad for
the third-round, first-leg clash — goalkeepers
Christoffer Mafoumbi and Pavelh Ndzila, defender
Sagesse Babele and striker Sylvere Ganvoula.
While Nigeria received first and second-round
byes, Congo have already claimed a notable
scalp in former Olympics football bronze
medalists Ghana.
Botn nations won 1-0 at home and Congo
squeezed through after a penalty shootout at
Stade Municipal in Pointe-Noire.
Nigeria boast a proud Olympics football record,
winning the 1996 Atlanta gold medals after a
thrilling final against Argentina and finishing
runners-up to the same country at the 2008
Beijing Games.
Former star national team striker Samson Siasia
coached the ‘Dream Team’ in China and will be
in charge Sunday at the Adokiye Amiesimaka
Stadium in south-east Nigeria.
He has called up Tottenham midfielder Musa
Yahaya — nicknamed ‘Iniesta’ as his style
resembles that of the Barcelona star — and
Sweden-based goal-poacher Taiwo Owiniyi.
Owiniyi got Nigeria out of jail this year in a 2015
All-Africa Games qualifier against Zambia,
scoring both goals in a second-leg away triumph
after the Dream Team were held at home.
South Africa, whose previous Olympics
appearance was in Sydney 15 years ago, are
upbeat ahead of a Harare showdown with
neighbours Zimbabwe at Rufaro Stadium
Sunday.
“This team has what it takes to go all the way
to Rio,” believes coach Owen da Gama. “The
training camp is buzzing with excitement.”
Uganda coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic says he
is looking forward to proving Egyptian TV
analysts wrong after they labelled his team a
“punching bag”.
The countries face off in Mediterranean city
Alexandria Saturday and the stars on show
should include two consistent goal scorers,
Egyptian Mahmoud ‘Kahraba’ Abdel Moneim and
Ugandan Farouk Miya.
Gabon host Mali and Ivory Coast host Zambia
Saturday and Morocco host Tunisia and Algeria
host Sierra Leone Sunday in other first legs