Speaking at a press conference a day before the Dream Team tackle Mali at the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations, coach Samson Siasia has insisted that Victor Osimhen deserved a place in the squad and has shot down speculation that the Ultimate Strikers striker replaced Isaac Success, who was not released for the tournament.<br /><br />Siasia pointed out that Osimhen was the top scorer at the Fifa Under 17 World Cup and showed flashes of brilliance at the ten - day training camp in the Gambia, hence his decision to name him on the 21 - man roster.<br /><br />&ldquo;The young man (Victor) did not replace any body or made this team on emotions, he earned his place as he showed maturity in training, &rdquo; Siasia was quoted as saying by thenff.com.<br /><br />&ldquo;Besides, don&rsquo;t forget he scored ten goals in Chile, and you don&rsquo;t score such amount of goals in such a competition in error, I brought him here to show the world that what he did in Chile is no fluke.&rdquo;<br /><br />The Nigeria U23s will be in action against Mali on Sunday night, starting from 1945 hours (CAT) at Caroline Faye Stadium in Mbour.<br /><br />Photo Credit : fifa.com<br />