Dream Team V Arrives Morocco For CAF U-23

Nigeria’s national under-23 men football side have begun its acclimatisation and final phase of preparation for the inaugural CAF U-23 Championship in Morocco, a team official said.

Team Media Officer, Arafat Aliu, told Tidesports in a telephone interview on arrival in Casablanca, Morocco that the team had settled down.

The Tidesports gathered that the team is scheduled to take part in the eight-team competition which is the final round of African qualifiers for the 2012 Olympic Games’ men football event.

“We arrived in Casablanca, Morocco by 10.30 am local time last Saturday for the acclimatisation part of the team’s preparation for the championship, and I can say we are getting by.

“The team has already got a feel of what the weather will look like during its stay here in the next three weeks in Morocco.

“Upon arrival at the airport here in Casablanca, the maximum temperature was put at 16 degrees Celsius with heavy showers,’’ Aliu said.

He said the team, otherwise called “Dream Team V’’, later had a 25-minute drive from the airport to its Hotel Anfa Port camp where it would stay in the next five days.

Tidesports reports that the team had departed Lagos at 7.25 a.m on Saturday with a 29-man contingent comprising 18 players and 11 officials.

Aliu said only one player from the five-man list of standby players, Atu Irumekhai, travelled with the team while the rest four were asked to stay back.

“They are to remain in Nigeria until it is deemed necessary that they should join the team in Morocco,’’ he said.

The team spokesman however said four foreign-based players from the original 21-man list are being expected to join the team in Morocco.

“These are Obiora Nwankwo, Babatunde Michael, Stephen Worgu and Nosa Igiebor, and they are joining from their respective clubs outside Nigeria,’’ he said.

The Dream Team V would begin its campaign in the championship next Saturday against host nation Morocco.

The Group A match is billed to kick off at 1730 hours GMT, one hour ahead of Nigerian time.

Nigeria will also play against Senegal and Algeria in Group A matches at the championship billed for November 26 to December 10.

The top three teams at the competition will qualify automatically for the London Olympics scheduled for July 27 to August 12, 2012.