Get Guardian on GoogleNigeria’s Olympic Eagles have arrived in Lumumbashi to take on DR Congo in the first leg of the Under-23 Africa qualifier scheduled for November 11 at the Stade TP Mazembe, with kick-off set for 3 p.m. Nigerian time.
All 23 players and officials arrived in Lumumba on Tuesday in preparation for the qualifier, which begins Nigeria’s quest to qualify for the men’s football tournament at the 2028 Summer Olympics.
The Olympic Eagles last placed at the Olympics in 2016 and have missed out on the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 editions.
Coach Eric Chelle will not be available on the touchline as the qualification coincides with the Super Eagles’ crucial 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tanzania.
Ikorodu City’s head coach Bright Osehai Ozebagbe and former Nigeria’s U-20 team assistant coach Deniran Ortega will take charge of the team for the two legs.
The 23 invited players are in camp except for Al-Qadsiah FC forward Sulaiman Sani, who has been ruled out due to injury.
Eric Chelle moved swiftly and has invited Nasarawa United’s Prince Bawa Oche as a replacement for Sani.
Chelle’s squad is a blend of home-based and foreign players, some of whom featured in the international friendly against Russia in October.
The Olympic Eagles will hope to get a positive result ahead of the second leg at the Remo Stars Sports in Ikenne on Tuesday, November 17, 2026.
Full Olympic Eagles squad
Goalkeepers (3): Michael Atata (Ikorodu City), Samuel James (SJK FC, Finland), Clinton Andy (Rivers United)
Defenders (7): Aliu Sugau (Barau FC), Vince Osuji (Tromsø IL, Norway), Emmanuel Ochobi (Rivers United), Christian Akpan (Genk FC, Belgium), Odinaka Alfred (Nasarawa United), Emmanuel Godwin (Pardubice FC, Czechia), Victory Akpe (FC Basel, Switzerland)
Midfielders (7): Victor Samuel (Pardubice FC, Czechia), Chibuzor Nwoko (Fulham FC, England), Sadiq Saleh (FC Metta, Latvia), John Otomewo (Reims FC, France), Wilfred George (Kristiansund FC, Norway), Aderemi Adeoye (Ikorodu City), Daniel Daga (Molde FC, Norway)
Forwards (6): Abdulmuiz Adeleke (Sporting Supreme), Zadok Yohanna (Brighton FC, England), Prince Bawa Oche (Nasarawa United), Peter Edokpolor (SL Benfica, Portugal), Abdullahi Umar (Hradec Králové, Czechia), Umar Abubakar (FC Famalicão, Portugal)
