Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has left Nigeria’s U-23 camp to focus on the senior national team’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches against Tanzania.
Eric Chelle, who also oversees the Olympic Eagles, will miss Nigeria’s two-legged U-23 AFCON qualifying encounter against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) because both teams have fixtures scheduled during the same international window.
The Olympic Eagles will travel to Lubumbashi for the first leg against DR Congo on Friday, November 13, the same day the Super Eagles host Tanzania at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.
The return leg will take place in Ikenne on Tuesday, November 17, which also coincides with the Super Eagles’ second meeting with Tanzania.
Assistant coach Deniran Ortega will take charge of the Olympic Eagles in Chelle’s absence, working alongside Ikorodu City head coach Bright Ozebagbe.
Naija News gathered that Ortega handled most of the team’s training sessions on Thursday and led the technical crew during their friendly win over Grassrunners on Friday before the squad’s departure for the first leg.
Meanwhile, Chelle has named 23 players for the Super Eagles’ AFCON qualifiers against Tanzania, with Brighton forward Zadok Yohanna and Molde FC midfielder Daniel Daga among the notable selections.
Goalkeeper Michael Atata and junior international Abdulmuiz Adeleke have also made the squad. Atata will compete with Samuel James of SJK FC and Clinton Andy for the goalkeeping position.
Other notable selections include defenders Victory Akpe, Vince Osuji and Emmanuel Ochobi, midfielders Chibuzor Nwoko and Aderemi Adeoye, as well as forwards Peter Edokpolor and Umar Abubakar.
The seven home-based players in the squad are expected to leave Nigeria on Tuesday for the Olympic Eagles’ first-leg encounter at the Stade TP Mazembe in Lubumbashi.
Full Nigeria U-23 Squad
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).
