Mikel in bronze swoop
JOHN OBI MIKEL captained Nigeria to a bronze medal as they beat Honduras 3-2.
Nigeria, the 1996 Olympic champions, are now the first African country to complete an Olympic medal sweep having won silver in Beijing.
Aminu Umar had hit both posts before Sadiq Umar scored in the 34th minute after Mikel’s fine run.
Four minutes after the break, Mikel’s strike was halfpunched by Luis Lopez and it fell for Aminu Umar to calmly finish.
Sadiq Umar got his second to put the Eagles 3-0 up.
Anthony Lozano pulled one back on 70 minutes, and the late fight-back was firmly on when Marcelo Pereira scored with four minutes left. But Mikel’s side held out to claim the honours.
Meanwhile, Lutalo Muhammad said sorry to viewers on the graveyard shift who stayed up to watch him “blow” taekwondo gold by one SECOND.
Amid the glory of Team GB’s gold rush, there have been some devastating stories, none more cruel than Muhammad’s under80kg final with Cheick Sallah Cisse.
Leading 6-4, he was on the brink of Britain’s 25th gold, when he was caught by Cisse’s reverse turn and face-kick.
The late twist gave Ivory Coast their firstever gold medal, but Muhammad dissolved into tears.
The 25-year-old, from Walthamstow, said: “I’m distraught – I was so close to becoming Olympic champion and making my dream come true.
“I am so sorry to the people that stayed up to watch. I let them down at the last second.”