Sadiq Umar scored a brace as Nigeria held off a late Honduras fightback to win Olympic bronze on Saturday at Mineirao Stadium.
The 3-2 victory made sure of Nigeria’s third Olympic medal in men’s football after winning gold at the 1996 Atlanta Games, while they claimed silver in 2008 after a final defeat to Argentina in 2008.
The medal was a reward for an Olympic tournament that got off to a rocky start. Nigeria’s arrival in Brazil was delayed until just hours before the team’s opening match because of a flight mix-up in Atlanta.
Honduras, who scored twice late on, head home from Brazil empty-handed but can take comfort from their best performance at an Olympics.
Umar put Nigeria in front, rushing in to convert Mikel John Obi’s cross just before the break.
Aminu Umar added a goal in the 49th minute, burying the rebound after Mikel’s effort came back off Honduras goalkeeper Luis Lopez, before his namesake completed a double moments later.
Antony Lozano and Marcelo Pereira scored late for tHonduras to set up a exciting final five minutes, but Nigeria held out to clinch the medal.
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