Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2027 Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations suffered a setback on Friday after the Olympic Eagles lost 2-0 to DR Congo in the first leg of their second-round qualifying tie.
The Nigerian side, led by Ikorodu City head coach Bright Osehai Ozebagbe and former Nigeria U-20 assistant coach Deniran Ortega, struggled to convert their early opportunities as the hosts secured a comfortable advantage ahead of the return fixture.
The coaching duo took charge in the absence of Super Eagles manager Eric Chelle, who was occupied with Nigeria’s senior national team preparations for their crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tanzania.
Nigeria started brightly and nearly took the lead in the fourth minute when Victor Samuel’s effort missed the target.
The midfielder had another opportunity five minutes later after finding himself one-on-one with the DR Congo goalkeeper but failed to convert.
The missed chances proved costly as DR Congo took the lead in the 20th minute in controversial circumstances.
Nigeria goalkeeper Samuel James appeared to have been fouled by a Congolese player while attempting to collect an aerial ball during the build-up to the opening goal. However, the referee allowed the goal to stand.
The Olympic Eagles suffered another setback in the 30th minute when Brighton youngster Zadok Yohanna was forced off with an injury.
DR Congo doubled their advantage five minutes before the break through Felozefe Mabete, who produced an impressive free-kick to put the hosts firmly in control.
Despite their attempts to find a way back into the contest after the restart, Nigeria could not break down the Congolese defence, with the hosts protecting their two-goal advantage until the final whistle.
The result leaves the Olympic Eagles with a difficult task in the second leg, as they must overturn the deficit to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Nigeria will host DR Congo in the return fixture at the Remo Stars Stadium on Tuesday, where they will seek to secure an aggregate victory and advance to the final qualifying round.
The Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations also serves as the qualification pathway for the men’s football tournament at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
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