LA 2028 Olympics Qualifiers: Olympic Eagles Ready to Shoot Down Dr Congo
Nigeria’s Olympic Eagles have declared their readiness for Friday’s crucial 2028 Olympic Games qualifying encounter against DR Congo, with head coach Bright Ozebagbe and three members of his squad expressing confidence ahead of the first-leg showdown in Lubumbashi.
Brighton forward Zadok Yohanna, Benfica striker Peter Edokpolor and Fulham midfielder Chibuzor Nwoko have all backed Nigeria to secure a positive result, with Yohanna boldly predicting victories in both legs of the encounter.
Speaking ahead of Friday’s fixture, Yohanna assured Nigerians that the players were determined to overcome their Congolese opponents and urged supporters to keep the team in their prayers.
“Tomorrow, by God’s grace, we will win our game. We would win both legs. I am assuring Nigerians that tomorrow, by God’s grace, we will beat DR Congo. We would beat them home and away. Keep us in prayers,” Yohanna said.
Edokpolor, who plays for Portuguese giants Benfica, equally expressed confidence in the team’s ability to return from Lubumbashi with victory.
“I assure Nigerians that we are coming home with the victory,” the forward declared.
Nwoko, who represents English Premier League side Fulham, also shared his optimism, calling on Nigerians to support the team as they pursue qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
“I play for Fulham, we are going to win tomorrow. Please come support us,” Nwoko said.
### Ozebagbe: We Will Do Our Talking on the Pitch
Meanwhile, head coach Bright Ozebagbe has insisted that Nigeria will let their performance on the pitch determine the outcome of the encounter, expressing confidence in his players ahead of the two-legged contest.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference in Lubumbashi, the former Ikorodu City FC coach stressed that playing at home or away does not necessarily guarantee victory, maintaining that consistency across both fixtures would be decisive.
Responding to questions about his assessment of the DR Congo U23 team, Ozebagbe explained that his priority had been preparing his players for the challenge rather than becoming distracted by the opposition.
DR Congo head coach Guy Bukasa, however, is targeting a convincing home victory to put his team in a strong position ahead of the return fixture in Nigeria.
Bukasa is drawing confidence from his side’s previous qualifying-round performance against Mauritania. After suffering a 1-0 away defeat, DR Congo recovered with a 2-0 home victory to secure progression.
While acknowledging Nigeria’s quality, the Congolese coach believes home advantage and the backing of supporters in Lubumbashi could help his team secure a favourable result.
The first leg will take place at the TP Mazembe Stadium on Friday, November 13, with Nigeria scheduled to host the return encounter at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne.
### Nigeria Chase Olympic Return After Rio 2016 Bronze
Nigeria are seeking a return to the men’s Olympic football tournament for the first time in 12 years after missing the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 editions.
The country last featured at Rio 2016, where the Olympic Eagles, under former coach Samson Siasia, claimed the bronze medal following a 3-2 victory over Honduras in the third-place match.
A successful passage beyond DR Congo would bring Nigeria a step closer to securing a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games in the United States.
