Breaking: Zadok Yohanna in as Chelle invitations 23 for 2028 Olympic qualifiers vs DR Congo

Brighton & Hove Albion ahead Zadok Yohanna is among the many headline inclusions as Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle names 23 gamers for Nigeria’s essential two-legged U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying encounter in opposition to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The 19-year-old winger, whose speedy rise from youth soccer in Nigeria to the English Premier League has attracted consideration, is anticipated so as to add tempo, creativity and attacking menace to the Olympic Eagles as they start their quest to achieve the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, blueprint reviews.

Goalkeeper Michael Atata, midfielder Daniel Daga and promising junior worldwide Abdulmuiz Adeleke are additionally included within the squad, which mixes 16 foreign-based professionals with seven gamers from Nigerian golf equipment.

The choice follows an evaluation camp involving 24 NPFL gamers, from which the seven home-based representatives earned locations within the closing listing.

Atata, who has beforehand acquired invites to the senior nationwide group, will compete with Samuel James of Finland’s SJK FC and Clinton Andy of Rivers United for the goalkeeping place.

From Bauchi and Kaduna to the Premier League

Yohanna’s inclusion is especially vital given the exceptional journey that has taken him from grassroots soccer in northern Nigeria to one among England’s top-flight golf equipment.

Born on June 29, 2007, in Bauchi State, the winger started his soccer growth at Ikon Allah Football Academy in Kaduna. He joined the academy as a teen and spent a number of years creating his technical capability earlier than attracting curiosity from European scouts.

His breakthrough alternative got here in 2025 when Swedish membership AIK Stockholm recognized his potential and secured his providers.

Yohanna tailored shortly to European soccer, progressing by way of AIK’s youth construction earlier than incomes promotion to the primary group. His performances in Sweden attracted consideration for his tempo, shut management, dribbling capability and confidence in one-on-one conditions.

He made 18 appearances for AIK within the 2026 league and cup campaigns, scoring 5 targets and offering 4 assists. His progress attracted curiosity from a number of golf equipment, with Brighton ultimately securing his signature.

Brighton introduced the settlement in June 2026, handing the Nigerian a five-year contract that runs till June 2031. The transfer represented a significant step within the profession of the younger ahead, who was nonetheless 18 when the deal was introduced.

Brighton head coach Fabian Hürzeler described him as a dynamic attacking participant with the tempo and creativity to make an impression within the closing third. The membership additionally acknowledged that he would wish time to adapt to the calls for of the Premier League.

Yohanna has since made his Premier League debut, approaching instead in Brighton’s 4-0 victory over Aston Villa on August 23.

What makes Yohanna an thrilling prospect?

The Nigerian is primarily an attacking winger, though he may function as a quantity 10. His most popular foot is his left, and his capability to chop inside, tackle defenders and create alternatives makes him a helpful choice throughout the attacking line.

AIK technical director Peter Wennberg beforehand highlighted his capability to vary route shortly, retain possession beneath stress and speed up previous opponents.

Wennberg additionally praised his willingness to recuperate possession after shedding the ball, suggesting that his contribution goes past attacking qualities.

Those attributes can be vital because the Olympic Eagles put together for a tough task in opposition to DR Congo. The qualifiers will supply Yohanna a chance to translate his rising expertise in European soccer into performances for Nigeria’s nationwide group.

His inclusion additionally supplies one other alternative for the teen to strengthen his relationship with the nationwide group setup as he progresses in the direction of the senior worldwide degree.

Daga, Atata strengthen squad

Beyond Yohanna, the choice incorporates a number of gamers with expertise in European soccer.

Midfielder Daniel Daga, who performs for Norwegian membership Molde, is anticipated to offer power and power in the midst of the pitch. His inclusion provides the teaching crew an alternative choice in a division that additionally options Chibuzor Nwoko of Fulham, John Otomewo of Reims and Wilfred George of Kristiansund.

Atata’s choice is one other notable characteristic. The Ikorodu City goalkeeper has beforehand attracted consideration from the senior nationwide group and can compete with Samuel James and Clinton Andy for the beginning place.

The defensive choices embody Christian Akpan of Genk, Victory Akpe of FC Basel, Vince Osuji of Tromsø and Emmanuel Godwin of Pardubice.

In assault, Nigeria may even rely on the contributions of Peter Edokpolor of Benfica, Sulaiman Sani of Al-Qadsiah, Umar Abubakar of Famalicao and Abdullahi Umar of Hradec Kralove.

The inclusion of Abdulmuiz Adeleke of Sporting Supreme additional strengthens the attacking choices, whereas the home-based contingent supplies familiarity with the home soccer setting.

Seven NPFL gamers earn locations

Seven gamers who participated within the home evaluation camp made the ultimate squad after competing for locations with 24 NPFL representatives.

They are goalkeepers Michael Atata of Ikorodu City and Clinton Andy of Rivers United; defenders Odinaka Alfred of Nasarawa United, Emmanuel Ochobi of Rivers United and Aliu Sugau of Barau FC; midfielder Aderemi Adeoye of Ikorodu City; and ahead Abdulmuiz Adeleke of Sporting Supreme.

Their choice displays the teaching crew’s determination to mix gamers based mostly overseas with abilities drawn from the home league.

The seven home-based gamers are scheduled to depart Nigeria forward of the primary leg, whereas the foreign-based professionals will hyperlink up with the group for the task.

DR Congo stand between Nigeria and subsequent spherical

Nigeria will journey to Lubumbashi for the primary leg on Friday, November 13, with the match scheduled for the Stade TP Mazembe.

The return leg will happen on Tuesday, November 17, on the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State.

The first leg is anticipated to be performed behind closed doorways for safety causes.

The winner of the two-legged contest will advance to the ultimate qualifying spherical of the 2027 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. The subsequent spherical will carry Nigeria nearer to the continental match, which can decide Africa’s representatives on the males’s soccer occasion of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

DR Congo reached this stage after overcoming Mauritania, whereas Nigeria acquired a bye into the second spherical.

The Olympic Eagles will subsequently want to barter the Congolese problem earlier than turning their consideration to the ultimate qualification hurdle.

Nigeria goal Olympic return

Nigeria have a proud historical past in Olympic males’s soccer, successful gold on the 1996 Atlanta Games, silver at Beijing 2008 and bronze at Rio 2016.

However, the nation has missed the final two editions of the Olympic soccer match, making the present qualification marketing campaign an vital alternative for a brand new technology of gamers to revive Nigeria’s presence on the worldwide stage.

The Olympic Eagles can be hoping that the mix of rising abilities akin to Yohanna and Daga, alongside skilled domestic-based gamers, will present the standard wanted to beat DR Congo.

For Yohanna, the encounter represents one other vital chapter in a profession that has progressed quickly from the soccer academy in Kaduna to AIK in Sweden and now Brighton in England.

A powerful displaying within the Olympic qualifiers would additional strengthen his rising profile and provides Nigerian supporters one other alternative to evaluate the potential of one of many nation’s most carefully watched younger attacking abilities.

Full 23-man squad for 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).