U23 football: Chelle calls up 31 Nigerians for DR Congo clash
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Punch
Super Eagles Olympic coach Eric Chelle has called up 31 players playing in Nigeria to prepare for the clash against DR Congo in the second round of the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations U23 qualifiers. Nigeria will face DR Congo on 17 November after the first leg on 13 November in Lubumbashi, Punch reports.
Eric Chelle, coach of Nigeria’s teams, has called up 31 players playing in the national league to prepare for the two-legged clash against the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the second round of the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations Under-23 (U23 AFCON) qualifiers. Punch reports that the players are due to join the training camp in Ijebu-Ode on Sunday 25 October.
Nigeria will face DR Congo on 13 November at the TP Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi, before hosting the return leg on 17 November at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne-Remo. The Nigerians were exempted from the first round, while the Congolese eliminated Mauritania over their two matches, according to Punch.
The list includes four goalkeepers, nine defenders, eight midfielders and 10 forwards. Players from Sporting Lagos and Ikorodu City are particularly well represented. The winner will still have to clear a final qualifying round to reach the U23 AFCON, due to take place in Egypt in 2027. The competition will determine Africa’s representatives at the men’s football tournament of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, Punch reports.
