Oghenekaro Etebo was the star man as Nigeria’s Dream Team VI brushed off Japan 5-4 in the male football event of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games on Friday morning.
Etebo, 20, bagged four beautiful goals to help the African champions begin their campaign on a winning note against the Samurai Blue.
The Nigerians, who spent extra days at their Atlanta, Georgia camp in the United States of America (USA), only arrived Manaus few hours to the encounter.
But there was no sign of fatigue from the Dream Team who are aiming for a second gold medal after their heroics 20 years ago.
Six players who started in the 2015 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations final victory were given the nod by coach Samson Siasia.
Skipper John Obi Mikel, Roma starlet Sadiq Umar, Super Eagles duo, William Troost-Ekong and Shehu Abdullahi also started.
The organisers made a huge blunder by playing the wrong anthem for Nigeria – a situation which left the players in disbelief and disappointment.
But that didn’t stop the young Eagles from going about their own businesses with total diligence and concentration.
It only took Nigeria six minutes to break the deadlock through Umar.
The Roma starlet pounced superbly on a rebound from Imoh Ezekiel whose shot was parried by Japan goalkeeper, Sei Muroya.
His strike set the tune for a harvest of goals which saw both sides net four in just four minutes.
Shinzo Karuki, Etebo and Takumi Minamino got three goals to draw the game level at 2-2.
Umar’s pace, skills and technique was becoming too much for the Japanese and he once again made them pay.
The lanky forward received a sublime pass from the midfield, before finding Etebo who made his effort count at the second time of asking.
Then Etebo grabbed his hat-trick 10 minutes before the hour mark through a penalty after Umar was fouled in the box.
Fourteen minutes later it was the former Warri Wolves man once again benefiting from a poor clearance from Muroya to score more than 20 minutes away from goal.
It was his seventh strike in 11 appearances for the U-23.
Japan however grabbed two goals late in the game through Arsenal new signing, Takuma Asano, and Musashi Suzuki to set up a nervy finish.
But Siasia’s lads held on for a remarkable victory which takes them to the summit of Group B following Colombia’s 2-2 draw with Sweden earlier.
Nigeria face Sweden on Sunday while Japan square-off against Colombia same day.
