John Obi Mikel will lead Nigeria into an Olympic quarter-final against Denmark after the Group B winners lost 2-0 to Colombia in Sao Paolo on Wednesday night.
The Chelsea midfielder remained the linchpin of a second-string Nigerian side as their coach, Samson Siasia, chose to rest players ahead of a guaranteed last-eight game, but the newcomers struggled to find their feet against an improving Colombian line-up.
An outfit that seemed barely familiar to the team that beat Sweden 1-0 to top the group on Monday was immediately unsettled when the Colombia captain, Teofilo Gutierrez, converted a cross four minutes into the match. Mikel made sure that his compatriots kept cool heads, however, and the favourites tried to relax into another passing display.
The Champions League winner with the Blues orchestrated most of the offensive moves, nearly enabling an equaliser for Nigeria with a deft lob through the Colombian back four, but a surging Oghenekaro Etebo spurned the chance.
The Latin Americans, who had previously only managed three wins in 14 Olympic matches having drawn their first two fixtures at Rio 2016, extended their lead in the 62nd minute through a Dorlan Pabon penalty. Nigeria chased the game with great energy, but sadly their legacy from the match could be an injury to Etebo, stretchered away late on.
Mikel, who was devastated to miss carrying the Nigerian flag at the opening ceremony after bravely questioning the safety of the team plane and delaying their flight to Brazil, will be desperate to remain at the Games until the closing ceremony next Sunday.
The Nigerians can ensure a shot at the medals if they defeat their fellow dark horses Denmark in Salvador on Saturday (8pm UK time). Denmark stunned the world when they won Euro 1992 having initially failed to qualify, while Nigeria were the surprise story of the Atlanta 1996 Games after they became the first African side to win Olympic football gold.