Amuneke, S/Africa Coach Tip Dream Team For Gold At Rio

Former Super Eagles striker and Atlanta 96 soccer gold hero , Emmanuel Amuneke , has tipped the Dream Team VI to win the gold medal in the Olympic football event at the Rio 2016 Olympics . Amuneke , whose 72 nd mininute goal gave Nigeria the soccer gold at Atlanta 96 , is optimistic that with the level of preparation done by the Samson Siasia- led technical crew , the Nigerian team would possibly stage a repeat performance where the Nwankwo Kanu captained team secured a 3 - 2 victory against Argentina in the final in front of almost 90 ,000 people near Atlanta to become the first African football nation to win Olympic gold . Amuneke , was benched for the gold medal match despite having started in all games leading up to the final . However , he was to make a huge impact , entering the contest in the latter stages and scoring another dramatic last - minute winner. “ Two days before the final , our coach , Jo Bonfrere , told me that some people were complaining that I was not playing at my best for the team. But in the match, he told me to stay warmed up and , as fate would have it, I scored the winning goal . So I was happy that when I came on , I contributed my own part to the team. ” And in a related development , South Africa U- 23 coach , Owen Da Gama , has also tipped hosts Brazil and Nigeria as favourites for the football gold at 2016 Rio Olympics which kicks off this week. Nigeria U- 23 s are drawn alongside Sweden , Japan and Colombia in Group B , while South Africa are in Group A with Brazil , Denmark and Iraq . Da Gama , 54 , said , “ We know it’s going to be tough . ” They ’ve got some great players, but the challenge is also going to be an opportunity for us. “ I think Brazil and Nigeria are the best two sides . After that, the only way is u