Breaking: Zadok Yohanna in as Chelle invitations 23 for 2028 Olympics 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 towards 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 risk to the Olympic Eagles as they start their quest to succeed in 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 checklist.

Atata, who has beforehand acquired invites to the senior nationwide staff, 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 important given the outstanding journey that has taken him from grassroots soccer in northern Nigeria to one in all England’s top-flight golf equipment.

Born on June 29, 2007, in Bauchi State, the winger started his soccer improvement at Ikon Allah Football Academy in Kaduna. He joined the academy as a teenager and spent a number of years growing his technical means 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 companies.

Yohanna tailored rapidly to European soccer, progressing by means of AIK’s youth construction earlier than incomes promotion to the primary staff. His performances in Sweden attracted consideration for his tempo, shut management, dribbling means 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 finally 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 serious 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 as an alternative 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 well-liked foot is his left, and his means 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 means to vary course rapidly, retain possession underneath strain 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 shall be vital because the Olympic Eagles put together for a tough task towards DR Congo. The qualifiers will supply Yohanna a chance to translate his rising expertise in European soccer into performances for Nigeria’s nationwide staff.

His inclusion additionally gives one other alternative for the teenager to strengthen his relationship with the nationwide staff setup as he progresses in direction of the senior worldwide stage.

Daga, Atata strengthen squad

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

Midfielder Daniel Daga, who performs for Norwegian membership Molde, is anticipated to offer power and vitality in the midst of the pitch. His inclusion offers 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 staff and can compete with Samuel James and Clinton Andy for the beginning place.

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

In assault, Nigeria can even rely upon 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 gives familiarity with the home soccer atmosphere.

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 choice to mix gamers primarily based 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 staff 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 event, which is able to 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, profitable 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 event, making the present qualification marketing campaign an vital alternative for a brand new era of gamers to revive Nigeria’s presence on the worldwide stage.

The Olympic Eagles shall be hoping that the mix of rising abilities corresponding 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 robust exhibiting 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).