What We Need – Nigeria's U23 Backed to Silence DR Congo in Lubumbashi

• Bright Ozebagbe says Nigeria’s Olympic Eagles will let their performance do the talking against DR Congo in their LA 2028 Olympics qualifier.

Nigeria’s Olympic Eagles will face a hostile atmosphere in Lubumbashi on Friday when they take on DR Congo in the first leg of their 2028 Los Angeles Olympics qualifying tie.

The match will be played at the TP Mazembe Stadium, with the return leg scheduled for Tuesday, November 17, at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne.

Nigeria’s U23 head coach Bright Ozebagbe, who will handle the team after Eric Chelle left for Uyo, has expressed confidence in his players ahead of the crucial encounter, insisting that the team will let their performance do the talking.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference in Lubumbashi, Ozebagbe played down the importance of home advantage, insisting that football is decided over 90 minutes.

“Football is played over 90 minutes, and whether you are playing at home or away does not necessarily determine the outcome,” he said.

“What matters is what you do on the pitch.”

The Ikorodu City FC coach also stressed that consistency across both legs would be crucial, noting that the team that performs better over the two encounters will advance to the next round.

When asked about his knowledge of the DR Congo U23 side, Ozebagbe said his focus has been on preparing his players rather than being distracted by the opposition.

DR Congo U23 head coach Guy Bukasa has made no secret of his ambition to secure a convincing victory over Nigeria and put his team in a strong position to qualify.

Bukasa is drawing confidence from his side’s performance in the previous qualifying round, where DR Congo recovered from a 1-0 first-leg defeat away to Mauritania to win the return leg 2-0.

While acknowledging the strength of the Nigerian team, Bukasa believes his players can capitalise on home advantage and the support of their fans to secure qualification at Nigeria’s expense.

The two-legged tie is part of the qualifying campaign for the 2027 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations in Egypt, which also serves as Africa’s pathway to the men’s football tournament at the LA 2028 Olympics.

Nigeria received a bye in the first round, while DR Congo progressed after overcoming Mauritania.

The winner over two legs will advance to the third and final qualifying round, scheduled for March 2027, where a place at the U-23 AFCON finals will be at stake.

For Nigeria, the mission is clear: survive Lubumbashi, finish the job in Ikenne and keep the LA 2028 Olympics dream alive.