Eric Chelle calls up 31 NPFL stars as Olympic Eagles begin quest for redemption against DR Congo
Éric Chelle has called up 31 home-based players to the Nigeria U-23 national team camp ahead of their upcoming U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Head Coach Éric Chelle has invited 31 home-based players to the Nigeria U-23 national team (Olympic Eagles) camp in preparation for next month’s crucial U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Having received a bye into this second-round tie, Nigeria will travel to Lubumbashi for the first leg at the TP Mazembe Stadium on Friday, November 13, before hosting the Congolese side in the return leg at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne-Remo on Tuesday, November 17.
The winner over two legs advances to the final qualifying round for the U-23 AFCON in Egypt, which serves as Africa’s pathway to the men’s football tournament at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
The stakes could not be higher for Nigerian football. Historical gold medalists at Atlanta 1996, silver medalists at Beijing 2008, and bronze winners at Rio 2016, the Olympic Eagles have failed to reach the Olympic Games for a decade, missing both Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.
Standing in their way is a resilient DR Congo side that showed their pedigree by dispatching Mauritania in the previous round.
Eric Chelle’s 31-man squad features a strong core of Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) talent, including senior-capped players such as Chibueze Oputa, Kenneth Igboke, and Aderemi Adeoye, alongside standout Flying Eagles starlets like Adeleke Abdulmuiz and Habila Simeon.
All 31 players have already been instructed to report to the AM2PM Hotel in Ijebu-Ode on Sunday, October 25, to kick off camp preparations.
Full Invited 31-Man Squad
Goalkeepers
- Chinemerem Olughu — Nasarawa United
- Clinton Andy — Rivers United
- Ebenezer Harcourt — Sporting Lagos
- Michael Atata — Ikorodu City
Defenders
- Gift Subi — Warri Wolves
- Hillary Zion — Sporting Lagos
- Emmanuel Utake — Rivers United
- Chibueze Oputa — Rangers Int’l
- Marvelous Freedom — Ikorodu City
- Kenneth Igboke — Rangers Int’l
- Odinaka Alfred — Nasarawa United
- Emmanuel Ochobi — Rivers United
- Aliu Sugau — Barau FC
Midfielders
- Freeman Wuchirwe — Bendel Insurance
- Victor Samuel — Sporting Lagos
- Umar Mohammed — Nasarawa United
- Lucky Oraro — Warri Wolves
- Aderemi Adeoye — Ikorodu City
- Sani Shuaibu — Warri Wolves
- Muhammed Salisu — Sporting Lagos
- Jude Eventus — Warri Wolves
Forwards
- Junior Ikechukwu — Ikorodu City
- Timothy Zechariah — Rivers United
- Williams Wonah — Enyimba FC
- Ayoola Olaniyan — Sporting Lagos
- Chijioke Samuel — Enyimba FC
- Jofrank Joshua — Nasarawa United
- Chimobi Igwilo — Rangers Int’l
- Alex Oweifaleya — Bendel Insurance
- Abdulmuiz Adeleke — Sporting Supreme
- Habila Simeon — Wikki Tourists
