LA 2028 Olympics Race: Ozebagbe Backs Nigeria to Silence DR Congo

Posted : 13 November 2026

Nigeria’s Olympic Eagles face a crucial test of their readiness for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games qualifying campaign when they take on DR Congo in Friday’s second-round first-leg encounter in Lubumbashi.

Head coach Bright Ozebagbe has expressed confidence in his players, insisting that the team’s response on the pitch will matter more than pre-match predictions as they seek a positive result away from home.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference in Lubumbashi, the Ikorodu City FC coach maintained that football outcomes are determined by performances over 90 minutes rather than the advantage of playing at home or away.

Ozebagbe stressed that Nigeria must demonstrate consistency across both legs, adding that the overall performance of the two teams would determine who advances to the next qualifying round.

Asked about his knowledge of the DR Congo U-23 team, the Nigerian coach explained that his priority had been preparing his players for the challenge rather than allowing the opposition to distract them.

His comments underline Nigeria’s determination to approach the encounter with confidence, discipline and a clear tactical focus.

However, DR Congo are equally determined to make their home advantage count.

Head coach Guy Bukasa has declared his ambition to secure a convincing first-leg victory and put his team in a strong position ahead of the return encounter in Nigeria.

Bukasa draws encouragement from his team's resilience in the previous qualifying round, where they recovered from a 0-1 defeat away to Mauritania to win the return leg 2-0 and progress to this stage.

The Congolese tactician acknowledged Nigeria's quality but believes his players can exploit home support and familiarity with their surroundings to secure an advantage.

With both coaches targeting progression, Friday's encounter promises a competitive battle between Nigeria's confidence and DR Congo's determination to establish an early advantage.

The first leg will take place at the TP Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi on Friday, Nov. 13, while Nigeria will host the return fixture at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne.

For the Olympic Eagles, avoiding defeat in Lubumbashi would provide a valuable platform for the decisive second leg on home soil.

23 PLAYERS FOR BIG BATTLES WITH DR CONGO

Goalkeepers:

Samuel James (SJK FC, Finland); Clinton Andy (Rivers United); Michael Atata (Ikorodu City).

Defenders:

Christian Akpan (Genk FC, Belgium); Victory Akpe (FC Basel, Switzerland); Vince Osuji (Tromsø IL FC, Norway); Emmanuel Godwin (Pardubice FC, Czechia); Odinaka Alfred (Nasarawa United); Emmanuel Ochobi (Rivers United); Aliu Sugau (Barau FC).

Midfielders:

John Otomewo (Reims FC, France); Daniel Daga (Molde FC, Norway); Wilfred George (Kristiansund FC, Norway); Chibuzor Nwoko (Fulham FC, England); Aderemi Adeoye (Ikorodu City); Sadiq Saleh (FC Metta, Latvia); Victor Samuel (Pardubice FC, Czechia).

Forwards:

Peter Edokpolor (SL Benfica, Portugal); Sulaiman Sani (Al-Qadsiah FC, Saudi Arabia); Umar Abubakar (FC Famalicao, Portugal); Zadok Yohanna (Brighton FC, England); Abdullahi Umar (Hradec Kralove, Czechia); Abdulmuiz Adeleke (Sporting Supreme).

LA 2028 Olympics Race: Ozebagbe Backs Nigeria to Silence DR Congo

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