The U-23 Eagles of Nigeria suffered a 2-0 defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the first leg of their second-round 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying tie in Lubumbashi earlier today, November 13.
The hosts took the lead in the 15th minute after Nigeria goalkeeper and captain Samuel James scored an own goal. James failed to deal with a cross into the penalty area, allowing the ball to slip into the net.
DR Congo doubled their advantage 20 minutes later when Filozofe Mabete capitalised on Nigeria’s defensive uncertainty to bundle the ball home in the 35th minute.
The defeat leaves Nigeria with a two-goal deficit ahead of the return leg, where they must overturn the scoreline to keep their qualification hopes alive.
The U-23 Eagles will host DR Congo at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State, on November 17, 2026.
Nigeria received a first-round bye to enter the second qualifying round, while DR Congo reached this stage after recovering from a 1-0 first-leg defeat to Mauritania with a 2-0 home victory.
The winner of the two-legged encounter will advance to the final qualifying round in March 2027, where they will face either Sierra Leone or Burkina Faso.
The 2027 U-23 AFCON will take place in Egypt and also serve as the qualifying competition for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Nigeria missed the previous edition in Morocco, ending their hopes of qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The country last featured at the U-23 AFCON in 2019 but failed to progress beyond the group stage. Their only title came in 2015 in Senegal, when Samson Siasia guided the team to victory.
