2027 U-23 AFCONQ: Chelle Makes Late Change To Olympic Eagles Squad Ahead Of DR Congo Clash

Head coach Éric Chelle has invited Nasarawa United striker Prince Bawa Oche to the Olympic Eagles squad as a late replacement for injured forward Suleiman Sani ahead of their 2027 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations qualifying encounter against the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Saudi club Al-Qudsiah FC have formally notified the Nigeria Football Federation ,NFF, that Sani will be unavailable for the second-round qualifying fixture due to injury.

Oche’s inclusion brings the number of home-based players in the squad to eight, with the remaining 15 players plying their trade abroad.

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The home-based contingent is scheduled to depart Nigeria today for the first leg, where they will link up with their foreign-based teammates.

DR Congo will host the first leg at the TP Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi on Friday, while the return leg is scheduled to take place at the Remo Stars Sports Complex in Ikenne next Tuesday.

The winner of the two-legged encounter will advance to the final qualifying round, where they will face either Sierra Leone or Burkina Faso for a place in the 2027 U-23 AFCON.

By Adeboye Amosu

Adeboye Amosu is a seasoned sports journalist and Senior Content Writer with extensive experience covering Nigerian football and international football. He specializes in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), provides insightful coverage, match reports, news, and analysis of the domestic game. Adeboye also follows the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Chelsea, bringing his knowledge of the teams, players, and competitions to his writing.