Eric Chelle will have another opportunity to face DR Congo after Nigeria’s U23 side was drawn against the Central African nation in the next round of the U23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The two countries will meet in a two-legged tie in November, with a place in the next stage of the qualification campaign at stake.
DR Congo secured their place after overturning a first-leg deficit against Mauritania. Following a 1-0 defeat away from home, they responded with a 2-0 victory in the return leg to advance 2-1 on aggregate.
Their reward is another meeting with Nigeria, this time at U23 level.
For Chelle, the fixture carries added significance following his recent experience against DR Congo in the senior national team setup.
Nigeria’s World Cup qualification campaign came to an end after the Super Eagles lost a playoff against DR Congo on penalties following a 1-1 draw. The defeat ended Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Chelle will now hope his U23 team can produce a different outcome when the sides meet in November.
The upcoming fixture has also revived questions surrounding the eligibility of DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi.
The New York Times reported that FIFA had determined Nigeria’s complaint concerning Mpasi did not satisfy the requirements for a nationality switch from France to DR Congo before he represented the country.
However, Nigeria’s appeal was dismissed on procedural grounds, with the complaint reportedly submitted after the applicable deadline.
That controversy adds another layer to an already familiar matchup between the two nations.
Nigeria will now have to put the disappointment of the senior team’s playoff defeat behind them as the U23 side prepares for another battle with DR Congo.
With qualification at stake, Chelle will be hoping that his young squad can deliver the response Nigeria failed to produce in the senior playoff and keep the country’s U23 AFCON campaign on course.
