Eric Chelle Leaves Nigeria U-23 Camp for Super Eagles

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Key Takeaways

Eric Chelle has left Nigeria’s U-23 camp to focus on the Super Eagles’ 2027 AFCON qualifiers against Tanzania.
The Olympic Eagles are scheduled to face DR Congo in a two-legged U-23 AFCON qualifying tie.
The first leg is scheduled for November 13 in Lubumbashi, while the return leg is set for November 17 in Ikenne.
Both U-23 fixtures coincide with the Super Eagles’ matches against Tanzania.
Assistant coach Deniran Ortega will take charge of the Olympic Eagles in Chelle’s absence.
Ikorodu City head coach Bright Ozebagbe will work alongside Ortega.
The supplied report lists 23 players under the heading of the full Nigeria U-23 squad.
The report mentions Zadok Yohanna, Daniel Daga and Michael Atata among the notable player selections.

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has left Nigeria’s U-23 camp to concentrate on the senior national team’s preparations for their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches against Tanzania.

Chelle, who also oversees the Olympic Eagles, will be absent from Nigeria’s two-legged U-23 AFCON qualifying encounter against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) because both national teams have fixtures scheduled during the same international window.

The scheduling conflict means the coach must prioritise the Super Eagles’ preparations for their meetings with Tanzania, while his assistant takes responsibility for the Olympic Eagles.

Why Eric Chelle Is Leaving the Olympic Eagles’ Camp

The Olympic Eagles are scheduled to travel to Lubumbashi for the first leg of their U-23 AFCON qualifier against DR Congo on Friday, November 13.

The match falls on the same day the Super Eagles are expected to host Tanzania at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo as part of their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.

The return leg between Nigeria’s U-23 side and DR Congo will take place in Ikenne on Tuesday, November 17. That date also coincides with the Super Eagles’ second meeting with Tanzania.

With both teams competing on overlapping schedules, Chelle will focus on the senior national side, leaving the Olympic Eagles under the supervision of the assistant coaching team.

Deniran Ortega Takes Charge of Nigeria’s U-23 Team

Assistant coach Deniran Ortega will lead the Olympic Eagles during Chelle’s absence, working alongside Ikorodu City head coach Bright Ozebagbe.

According to Naija News, Ortega had already handled most of the team’s training sessions on Thursday and led the technical crew during their friendly victory over Grassrunners on Friday.

The preparations were part of the team’s build-up to the first-leg encounter against DR Congo in Lubumbashi.

Ortega’s involvement in the training sessions and friendly match means he has already played a significant role in the team’s preparations ahead of the important qualifying fixture.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles Squad for the Tanzania Qualifiers

Meanwhile, the report states that Chelle has named 23 players for the Super Eagles’ 2027 AFCON qualifying matches against Tanzania.

The selections mentioned include Brighton forward Zadok Yohanna and Molde FC midfielder Daniel Daga.

Goalkeeper Michael Atata and junior international Abdulmuiz Adeleke are also mentioned among the selected players.

Atata is expected to compete for the goalkeeping position alongside Samuel James of SJK FC and Clinton Andy.

Other players highlighted in the report include defenders Victory Akpe, Vince Osuji and Emmanuel Ochobi, midfielders Chibuzor Nwoko and Aderemi Adeoye, as well as forwards Peter Edokpolor and Umar Abubakar.

However, the full player list supplied in the original report is specifically labelled as the Nigeria U-23 squad. It is therefore presented separately below rather than being incorrectly identified as the senior Super Eagles squad.

Full Nigeria U-23 Squad for the DR Congo Qualifiers

The following 23 players are listed in the supplied report as members of Nigeria’s Olympic Eagles squad for the two-legged qualifying encounter against 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)

Olympic Eagles Prepare for DR Congo as Super Eagles Face Tanzania

The two Nigerian national teams face important qualification assignments during the same international window, creating a scheduling challenge for Chelle and his technical crew.

While the Super Eagles prepare for their two meetings with Tanzania, the Olympic Eagles will attempt to secure progress in their U-23 AFCON qualifying tie against DR Congo.

The report also states that seven home-based players are expected to leave Nigeria on Tuesday for the Olympic Eagles’ first-leg encounter at Stade TP Mazembe in Lubumbashi.

With Ortega taking charge of the U-23 side, attention will be on how the Olympic Eagles perform under his supervision while Chelle concentrates on the senior national team.

Both teams will be seeking positive results from their respective qualifying assignments as Nigeria pursues progress in the two competitions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why did Eric Chelle leave Nigeria’s U-23 camp?

Eric Chelle left the Olympic Eagles’ camp to concentrate on the Super Eagles’ preparations for their 2027 AFCON qualifying matches against Tanzania. Both Nigerian teams have fixtures scheduled during the same international window.

2. Who will coach the Olympic Eagles in Eric Chelle’s absence?

Assistant coach Deniran Ortega will take charge of the Olympic Eagles, working alongside Ikorodu City head coach Bright Ozebagbe.

3. When will Nigeria’s U-23 team play DR Congo?

The first leg is scheduled for Friday, November 13, in Lubumbashi, while the return leg is scheduled for Tuesday, November 17, in Ikenne.

4. Who are the Olympic Eagles’ opponents in the U-23 AFCON qualifiers?

Nigeria’s Olympic Eagles will face the Democratic Republic of Congo in a two-legged qualifying encounter.

5. Which teams will the Super Eagles face in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers?

The Super Eagles are scheduled to face Tanzania in their two qualifying matches during the same international window.

6. Which notable players are mentioned in Nigeria’s squad announcement?

The supplied report mentions Zadok Yohanna, Daniel Daga, Michael Atata, Abdulmuiz Adeleke, Victory Akpe, Vince Osuji and Emmanuel Ochobi among the notable selections.