Nigeria’s hope for a ticket to the football event of the 2012 London Olympics will be determined today as the country’s U-23 male team take on their Senegalese counterparts in a must win match.

In their first outing against host, Morocco, the U-23 Eagles lost 0-1 after an uninspiring display that has sent shock waves down the spines of big wigs of the Nigeria Football Federation who have since dismissed as untenable, Austin Eguavoen’s claim that the national U-23 team were unlucky against Morocco on Saturday.

An executive board member of the NFF Emeka Inyama expressed reservations over the team’s overall performance against the young Atlas Lions of Morocco. Consequently, the NFF has asked Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi to get closer to the team and work with Eguavoen. Keshi is expected to advise Eguavoen on technical and tactical matters while Eguavoen remains in charge.

We gathered that Keshi has already started doing so.

Inyama said that what worried the federation was not just the goal that they conceded but the overall performance of the team which they described as poor. As if he was speaking the minds of his colleagues on the board, Inyama said, “We told Eguavoen the home truth, the players were bad against Morocco.

”We told him to forget about the penalty. The players were not good at defence, midfield even and in attack.

”We don’t want excuses and he should go and work things out.

”What Nigerians want is the qualification ticket to the London Olympics, that is what we want.

”We gave him everything he requested for to prepare the team.”

Unwilling to take further chances, Inyama said Keshi, who is in Morocco as an observer has been asked to join up with Eguavoen’s team of coaches.

”We have directed Keshi to help out.”