Regardless for the last MLS player standing -- and running, for that matter -- at the Summer Games -- it will be a pretty decent haul for the Columbus Crew midfielder.
Ekpo's Nigeria team rolled into Saturday's gold medal match with a resounding 4-1 triumph against an overmatched Belgium side in Shanghai Tuesday night.
A second-half substitute, Ekpo did not play a part in any of Nigeria's three goals over the final 45 minutes, although another sub, Victor Anichebe, botched his right-wing feed in the 64th minute. Anichebe found himself alone on the left side, but sent his point-blank shot wide left.
The Nigerians made quick work of the Belgians before 56,312 at Shanghai Stadium. Olubayo Adefemi started it all in the 17th minute. The European side hung close for the rest of the first half before Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi broke open the match with scores in the 59th and 72nd minutes. Chibuzor Okonkwo added an insurance goal in the 78th minute before Laurent Ciman helped Belgium avert a shutout two minutes from time.
Ekpo, who has come on as a second-half sub in all five games (he replaced Ebenezer Ajliore at the start of the second half), could not be reached for comment. But his teammates certainly were in a talkative and celebratory mood.
"It was amazing and I can't believe I scored two goals," Obasi said. "We won because of our togetherness, hardwork and because the music our fans were playing in the stadium gave us power from God."
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Nigeria can win its second soccer gold medal in four tries -- the first one in 1996.
Defender Olubayo Adefemi said the African side was "under great pressure" to win because of the first gold medal. "Seeing what we have done in Atlanta in 1996, everyone was waiting for us to do just the same," he said.
But coach Samson Siasia was not in the mood for any comparisons between the two sides, at least not yet. "I don't want to compare that," he said. "All our players now are very young and have contributed a lot."
This Nigerian team hasn't had to face the same type of obstacles the 1996 version did at the Atlanta Summer Games. There were many internal problems, including staying at decrepit hotels and motels that were not fitting an Olympic team, let alone a gold-medal winner.
It was a long and sometimes bumpy and controversial road to the crown. Nigeria, which would not defend its African Nations Cup title in 1996 because of political differences with host South Africa, overcame several problems. The included a five-week walkout by coach Johannes Bonfrere in the spring because he wasn't paid and the fact the team got together only five days prior to the tournament.
If there are any headaches with this team, the Nigerians haven't let them be known. Actually, they have been the ones creating the problems -- for teams on the other side of the field.
If there is a potential weakness, it is on defense. The African side has been known to go forward in numbers and get caught up field.
So far, the Nigerians have not been burned en route to an undefeated record. They tied the Netherlands in their first encounter, 0-0, then posted 2-1 wins against Japan and the United States in their other Group B matches. They bested Ivory Coast 2-0 in an all-African quarterfinal. And then there was Tuesday's rout.
Now, the Nigerians will take on Argentina, emphatic 3-0 winners over archrival Brazil in the other semifinal Tuesday night, in Saturday's gold-medal match at the National Stadium at noon local time (midnight ET).
Nigeria's task certainly won't be easy, given what the Argentineans have and want to accomplish.
Not only did they bury Brazil's gold-medal quest, they also stole the beautiful game from their archrivals.
Who would have ever thought that the Argentineans would play pretty soccer and the Brazilians would wind up the ugly side? That's what happened as the Argentina recorded an emphatic 3-0 triumph to reach the gold-medal match for the second consecutive time.
"This is one of our best performances during the Olympic tournament," Argentina's coach, Sergio Batista, said. Added 21-year-old phenom and forward Lionel Messi: "I didn't imagine that we would score like this. It was such a big margin. We are ready for gold."
Captain and midfielder Javier Mascherano warned that Argentina still has some unfinished business. "It was the greatest game for everyone," he said. "We haven't achieved anything yet, but beating Brazil with a result like this is wonderful."
The hero of the night for the Argentineans? It wasn't the great Messi, who played well and set up a goal. It was forward Sergio Aguero, who did not have a goal in three previous Olympic appearances, although he was close several times. He struck twice within a six-minute span early in the second half to break open a scoreless tie before 52,968 spectators at Workers Stadium.
"It was like a final for us," Aguero said. "Beating Brazil is the best thing."
Brazil, which has never won a gold medal despite five World Cup championships, will have to settle for a bronze when it plays the Belgians in Shanghai Friday.
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